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Baseball Life 365:  What are your first memories of baseball? Do you remember your first baseball, bat and glove? How old were you?

 

Akeem Bostick:  My 1st memories of baseball are watching my older brother Tyree play. I remember my 1st baseball bat & glove. They were both huge because they were hand me downs & I used them in my 1st game at age 4.

 

BL365: Did you grow up playing T-Ball, Little League, etc? Was your family a baseball family always at the games?

 

AB: I grew up playing all of the above & my family was always at the games when I was young

 

 

BL365: As you moved up in youth baseball, what positions did you play? Were you always a pitcher?

 

AB: I started playing at 3B, but mostly was a SS/CF until I was 10. I began to pitch when I was 10. Over the years, I have played every position (yes, I've even caught) on the field at one time or another.

 

BL365: Did you have a favorite MLB Team and MLB Player as you were growing up?

 

AB: My favorite MLB team has always been the New York Yankees & Derek Jeter was my favorite player.

 

BL365:  What was the first Major League Baseball Park you visited and what was the first MLB game you saw?

 

AB: I saw my 1st MLB game in person at Turner Field in 2007 when the Atlanta Braves played against the St. Louis Cardinals and won.

 

 

BL365: Through middle school and high school you were quite the athlete in every sport: football, basketball and baseball! At what point did you decide that Baseball had your heart?

 

AB: Baseball has always been my favorite sport no matter how many other sports I competed in because I've always envisioned becoming an MLB Player

 

BL365: At West Florence High School in South Carolina, you dominated the mound. This year, your senior year, you went 9-0 with an incredible 0.68 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 51 innings leading the Knights to their first region title since 2002! Through your high school career with all the honors and accolades, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

 

AB: I'm most proud of being a part of a team that won its 2013 Region Championship in both Football & Baseball. I'm also proud of making several honor rolls this year in route to getting my High School Diploma.

 

 

BL365: You were recruited and committed to Georgia Southern and Spartanburg Methodist College.  What was your thought process in committing to those 2 schools and how hard was it to walk away?

 

AB: I originally committed to Georgia Southern for baseball but my scholarship moved over to the football team after they saw me play in the SC State Playoffs. I also signed a LOI with Spartanburg Methodist in case things didn't work out in this year's draft & I didn't want to wait 3 years to become eligible again for the MLB Draft. I thank both schools for having faith enough in me to offer me a scholarship but after going in the 2nd round of the 2013 MLB Draft, my decision to walk away from school was pretty easy to make knowing that the risks of waiting for a year or two, far outweighed the rewards of signing now and starting my pro career.

 

 

BL 365:  Describe for us the day of the 2013 Draft and what you were doing and how you heard your name called, what was going through your mind and how if felt.

 

AB: As I look back at it, it was an unreal day. It was getting late, about 11:40 pm  & I was actually getting a little bored having sat through over 4 and a 1/2 hours of MLB Network guys just talking when I could have been playing video games with my friends. So when my name was called on TV, I was busy texting and I couldn't fully comprehend what had happened when everyone in the house began screaming & jumping for joy. It wasn't until 30 seconds later when Chris Kemp, SC area scout for the Texas Rangers, called my phone to congratulate me and I realized that I was not dreaming!

 

BL365:  How did the chain of events flow next and how was that first meeting with Ron Washington? I have to say the choice to sport the bowtie was a clutch move and got some good tweets! Was that your fashion decision?

 

AB: The chain of events after Thursday's call form the Rangers was like watching a bunch of fire ants after you step on their hill! Lou Bezjak, Florence Morning News reporter, came to our house around midnight for an interview & Chris Kemp drove 2 hours to meet us at IHOP at 2:30 a.m. to sign some paperwork. Early Friday morning, Drew Davison, a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram called for an interview. Then, each of our 3 local TV Stations, WPDE, WWBF & WBTW sent Sports Anchors, Mark Haggard, Joe Murano & Conan Gasque, respectively, to the house for videotaped interviews. Next, I was off to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the Florence Red Wolves game & sign autographs for the little kids in attendance. Saturday I went back to where baseball started for me, Maple Park, to meet with the 7-8 year old All-Star teams for all of Florence to talk with them about the importance of school and having dreams. It was ironic in that a few years ago, local hero, Orlando Hudson was signing autographs for me & now I was signing one for his son! Caught a plane to Dallas that evening and headed to Arlington Ballpark early Sunday. After a full day of physicals, we finally got to meet Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan, future MLB HOF Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez and Head Coach Ron Washington. Each of them was very nice but Coach Washington and I had a fun moment when he noticed I had missed a loop in back of my pants with my belt. My first lesson as a big leaguer! Thank goodness I had decided to wear the bowtie that ended up being so popular. It was a combination decision between me & Butler's Fine Men’s Clothing owner, Mark Butler, who was responsible for selecting the Texas Rangers design on the tie. I had decided to wear it initially because Randy Hart had always preached to me that "you only get 1 chance to make a first impression".

 

 

BL365: You will be starting Rookie Ball this week- let’s talk about your repertoire of pitches. Tell us what you have.  Your height and fastball in high school caught the eye of scouts as you threw heat up to 94mph. Slider, curve ball, change up, what do you think is developing as your go-to pitch?

 

AB: While my repertoire of pitches was over-whelming to most batters that I pitched to in high school, I'm not naive enough to think they will be good enough at this next level. While my fastball is my favorite, I'm confident throwing all of them, I can't wait to learn new things mechanically, with grips & when to throw each of them so that I can refine my arsenal of pitches.

 

BL365: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

 

AB: Yes, I head to Burger King to get a Hershey Pie and after I finish it I put on my headphones to listen to some Wale until game time.

 

BL365: Is there a particular MLB Player that you pattern your pitching style after?

 

AB: I feel like I do my own thing out there on the mound but my approach to the pitching game mirrors what Randy calls "Texas Style". Like Nolan Ryan, then Roger Clemens & now Justin Verlander, I'm going out there thinking I'm better than every batter and get after them with my power fastball. When I cross that white line, I'm putting it all on the line for my team. I am in control of the game, not the batter. I'll try to hit my spots & if they hit it, I'll tip my cap to them. I'm a pretty intense competitor on the field and I don't accept a losing performance on my part! But I know there are going to be setbacks that I'll need to learn from along the way. I'm willing to accept criticism & am willing to do whatever my coaches think I need to do in order to become a successful MLB pitcher.

 

 

BL365: What is your favorite baseball movie?

 

AB: The Sandlot

 

 

BL365: Do you have a particular life quote or verse that you live by?

 

AB: "Failure is not an option. Success is just a process." - Wale

 

 

BL365: Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?

 

AB: My mother Linda and my "Pops" Randy because they always challenge me to be greater tomorrow than I was today!

 

 

BL365: If you could be any Super-hero, who would you be and why?

 

AB: Batman because he is dark like me. Haha! He has Swagg you've got to love because he always handles his business and is a smooth dude.

 

 

BL365: PS3 or Xbox? What is your favorite game?

 

AB: PS3 - Call of Duty Black Ops 2

 

 

BL365:  Five years from now, where do you see yourself?

 

AB: As the starting pitcher on the mound at Arlington Ballpark in front of a frenzied Texas Rangers home crowd.

 

 

BL365: How do you want to be remembered? What do you want your legacy to be?

 

AB: I want to be remembered as a small town kid who had a dream of playing MLB baseball and fulfilled it by using the mindset that I am nearly invincible when I believe in myself & I trust in my teammates around me to never fear losing while we are all chasing perfection.

Akeem Bostick

P | 10

Height: 6'5" Weight: 180 lbs Born: 05/04/1995 Hometown: Florence, SC High School: West Florence High School

Baseball Life 36​5 Featured Player:

62nd overall pick in the 2013 draft for the Texas Rangers

Feature and Interview by Victoria Vesce

Dreams can come true! Akeem Bostick is proof of that. As a 4-year-old playing T-Ball he proclaimed that he would play pro-ball and make it big! After many years of hard work, focused determination and relentless pursuit of a goal, Akeem achieved his dream. Drafted by the Texas Rangers in the second round of this years Major League Baseball Draft, Akeem Bostick has arrived! In fact, he arrived in style as he rocked the bowtie on Draft Day showing that he is an ACE in fashion as well as on the mound! Whether he is tossing a breaking pitch or hurling heat, Akeem will only get better and better as his tall lanky frame fills out. Texas is his for the taking and there is no doubt that Akeem will do everything it takes to be the Ace of Arlington! Be sure and catch one of his minor league games while he is on the way up!

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