Christian Binford had Tommy John surgery as a sophomore at Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania in 2009. He signed to play at the University of Virginia but was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 30th round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft and chose to sign with the Royals. Hewas only a 30th round selection in the 2011 amateur draft, but quickly established himself as a top prospect with excellent results in the minor leagues. In his first season as a professional, in 2012, he went 2-3, 2.02 in 8 starts for the Burlington Royals of the Appalachian League. In 2013, he was 8-7, 2.67, in 23 starts for the Lexington Legends of the South Atlantic League. In 135 innings, he struck 130 batters and walked only 25. He started 2014 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League, where he posted his third straight sub-3.00 ERA, 2.140 in 14 starts. In mid-season, he was promoted to the AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals and was also chosen to take part in the 2014 Futures Game with the U.S. team.