NWL notes: Bosiokovic busts out in Boise

Life on the diamond is good for Boise first baseman Jacob Bosiokovic.

The Colorado Rockies' 19th-round selection in this year's Draft has made an unheralded rise from a .268 hitter in four seasons at Ohio State University to one of the top hitters in the Northwest League.

And while the swing has stayed the same, his approach at the plate has changed his game. Because what Bosiokovic has discovered is that worrying about results less has actually been producing them the best.

"Something I had trouble with at Ohio State was accepting and learning from failure, so that's something I've been trying to do in pro ball," Bosiokovic said. "Baseball is a game of failure, and more times than not you won't be able to get a hit. Being able to learn from at-bats and caring more about the process rather than being result-driven has helped clear my head."

There hasn't been much failure to accept for Bosiokovic, the owner of a league-best .360 average through July 14. The sweet-swinging right-hander is also tied for first in the NWL with four home runs and tied for fifth in RBIs with 16.

"It's about time," Bosiokovic said. "During the school year I started out hot and then had three or four bad weeks, so being able to produce consistently, I'm happy with it. Right now is what I expected from myself during my time at Ohio State -- I just never put it together."

Bosiokovic has certainly put everything together with Boise, and then some. The 22-year-old Ohio native has eight multi-hit games this season, five of which were three-hit nights. He was named the NWL's Player of the Week for June 27-July 3 after going 10-for-25 (.400) with three doubles, a homer and six RBIs during the seven-game stretch.

"[The physical ability] has definitely always been there, I just never found the right groove of where I wanted to be mentally," Bosiokovic said. "I feel like that's where I'm at right now, but I still have a lot to learn. I definitely think I'm on the right track."

Bosiokovic has seemingly been on that track from the very beginning. He collected two hits in three at-bats against the Eugene Emeralds on June 17 -- his first professional baseball game -- in what he described as his "welcome to pro ball" moment.

"Eugene's starter [Dylan Cease] was one of its top prospects.…Once I heard that I knew it would be tough. After I got that first hit I felt good. It made me realize this is where I'm supposed to be," Bosiokovic said.

Bosiokovic's statistical success this season has been something worth smiling about, but his ability to step onto the field on a consistent basis has made it all the more special. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound infielder missed the 2015 college season after undergoing Tommy John surgery the previous summer. He also missed 10 games earlier this year at Ohio State due to a hamstring injury.

"It's definitely been one of those things that helped me grow as a baseball player. Everything I learned from that will stick with me," Bosiokovic said of his time away with injury. "Just being able to come out every day and play how I want to be playing has been more than fun."

Bosiokovic -- who has almost exclusively batted in the heart of Boise's lineup -- has played in 24 of the Hawks' 28 games this season. If his current offensive production can be sustained, there's no reason to expect him out of the lineup anytime soon.

"It's been fun. It's nice to feel like I'm actually playing how I'm capable of playing. We still have 50-plus games, but to feel like I've settled in and found routines that have helped me succeed has been somewhat of a relief," Bosiokovic said.

In brief

Pauli-NO: Eugene Emeralds pitcher Jose Paulino delivered a six-inning shutout performance in his last start July 8 against Everett, continuing his streak of dominance in 2016. The Dominican Republic native has allowed two runs -- one earned -- in 22 innings this season, giving him a Northwest League-best 0.41 ERA through four starts. Paulino, who has held opposing hitters to a .158 batting average, sports a 22/2 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season. The southpaw has struck out least five hitters in three of his four starts.

Volcanic Eruption: Salem-Keizer's Kevin Rivera (.348) and Ashford Fulmer (.346) are right behind Bosiokovic for the second and third highest batting averaged in the NWL. Rivera started the season with two hits in each of his first three games and has collected hits in seven of his past eight games. Fulmer has played in 22 games since being assigned to Salem-Keizer on June 18 and has recorded five multi-hit games with the Volcanoes. Salem-Keizer as a team ranks first in the NWL in batting average (.289), first in doubles (61) and second in RBIs (120).