Staten Island, NY – The Staten Island Yankees today announced their coaching staff for the 2002 season.

Derek Shelton will be at the helm of the Staten Island Yankees squad, making him the third manager in the team’s four-year history.

Shelton, who hails from Carbondale, IL, comes to Staten Island after two successful seasons as the manager of the Gulf Coast Yankees.  He guided the Rookie team to a 73-47 record in two years, with two Northern Division Championships and one Gulf Coast League title in 2001.  He was also named the 2001 Rookie League Manager of the Year by BaseballAmerica.

“Derek has managed for a couple of years and has brought both his teams to the playoffs,” said New York Yankee Director of Player Development, Rob Thomson.  “He has done a tremendous job with the Gulf Coast Yankees.  He has a high energy level, works well with the players and is a plus to the organization.”

Before the GCL Yankees, Shelton was a coach on the 1999 Tampa Yankee squad of the Florida State League.

In 1992, he was signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent out of Southern Illinois University.  He spent the 1992-93 seasons in the Yankee farm system.

Joining Shelton and returning to Staten Island will be hitting coach Kevin Higgins and pitching coach Neil Allen.  EJ Amo will also return as the trainer.

This is Higgins’ third season as the team’s hitting/first base coach.  He was part of the 2000 NY-Penn League Championship coaching staff.  Last season, under Higgins’ guidance, the Baby Bombers lived up to their nickname with a franchise-high .265 batting average.  In addition, the team was second in league batting for the season and had several players figure in the league’s top 10 in hitting categories. 

Allen will begin his second season as the team’s pitching coach.  The former Yankee and Met coached the Staten Island Yankees to a 3.22 ERA, good for third in the league.  Other success stories of his staff in 2001 was Jason Arnold’s no-hitter and Chuck Manning’s 87 strikeouts being best in the league.