Staten Island, NY – Four former Baby Bombers were tabbed by BaseballAmerica as Top 10 Prospects in the New York Yankee organization.

The first of the four at third on the list is southpaw Brandon Claussen.  A 34^th-round pick in the 1998 draft, Claussen finished 2001 with a 9-2 record and a 2.13 ERA in 21 starts for Norwich.  Prior to the Navigators, Claussen started eight games for Class-A Tampa, posting a 5-2 mark and a 2.73 ERA.  He led all minor league pitchers with 151 strikeouts.  While in Staten Island, the southpaw posted a 6-4 record and a 3.38 ERA in 72.0 innings.  He fanned 89.

Right behind Claussen at fourth on the list is 2001 Baby Bomber, John-Ford Griffin.  After being selected as the Yankees’ first round pick in the June 2001 free-agent draft, the outfielder put up impressive numbers.  He hit .311, with 43 RBI and 46 runs scored.  Twenty-three of his 74 hits were for extra bases.  Griffin finished the season ninth in the league for batting.

On the list at number six is southpaw Sean Henn.  Henn, drafted in the 26^th Round in 2000, but signed with a draft-and-follow record $1.7 million, had his season cut short due to elbow pain that led to Tommy John surgery.  Prior to that, Henn was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA, striking out 49 in 42 innings pitched.  In his last appearance for Staten Island before he went on the disabled list, he notched a three-inning save against Pittsfield on August 16, 2001, finishing the game for a rehabbing Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez.

The final former Baby Bomber to round out the list of Yankee prospects is Jason Arnold.  He, too, had a storied season as he notched the first complete-game no-hitter in Staten Island Yankee history on July 27, 2001 against Vermont.  However, like Henn, Arnold’s season was cut short due to injury, suffering from tendonitis in his right elbow.  Arnold finished the season with a 7-2 record and a 1.50 ERA, striking out 74 in 66 innings pitched.  He gave up just 13 runs on 35 hits all season and was third in the league in pitching.

Dubbed the “Rest of the Best” were David Martinez (LHP, #11, 2000), Alex Graman (LHP, #12, 1999) and Deivi Mendez (SS, #14, 2001).