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Organizational Top Prospects Linked to Staten Island

Staten Island, NY--  Baseball America has announced the New York Yankees Top-10 prospects for 2001, and many of the names are familiar to Staten Island Yankees fans.  The list, compiled by front-office staff and scouts in the Yankees' organization, features several former Staten Island Yankees.  Alex Graman, who went 6-3 with a 2.99 ERA in the SI Yanks' inaugural season, was ranked as the fifth-best prospect in the New York Yankees' organization.  The southpaw went a combined 8-10 with Tampa (Florida State League) and Norwich (Eastern League) in 2000.  "Alex has the chance to start the 2001 season off in Norwich," said Rob Thomson, New York Yankees Director of Player Development.  "Alex improved his concentration this season and he is a very competitive person."  Graman was selected by the Yankees in the third round of the 1999 draft out of Indiana St. University and was considered the top prospect in the NY-Penn League in 1999.

Outfielder Wily Mo Pena, who hit .301 in 19 games with the Staten Island Yankees before suffering a season-ending knee injury in July, was ranked as the organization's ninth-best prospect.  The nineteen-year-old from the Dominican Republic is considered to be the New York Yankees' centerfielder of the future.  "Pena is completely healthy after his knee injury and he has stayed in Tampa during the offseason," said Thomson.  "He has tremendous power and is working on hitting better pitches.  He has the chance to begin next season with Greensboro (South Atlantic League) or Tampa (FSL)."  Pena began the 2000 season with the Greensboro Bats, where he hit .205 with 10 home runs and 28 RBIs.  Pena is considered to be the New York Yankees' top power prospect, but he struck out 114 times in 322 at-bats during the 2000 season.  

There were several other former SI Yanks mentioned as prospects in the December 24th issue of Baseball America, including Brandon Claussen, who went 6-4 for the Baby Bombers in 1999.  "Brandon is similar to Graman in that he is a great competitor," said Thomson.  "He is spending the offseason in Tampa and working out on a daily basis.  He could start as high as Double-A Norwich in 2001."  Claussen was considered the Yankees' twelfth-best prospect.

2000 Baby Bombers Chien-Ming Wang (No. 13), David Martinez (No. 14), and Elvis Corporan (No. 15) also made the list.  Corporan was rated as the second-best prospect in the NY-Penn League this past season, hitting .260 with eight home runs and 36 RBIs in 73 games.  "Elvis is playing in Puerto Rico this winter and he has been everything we thought he would be," said Thomson.  "He will be a player who hits for power from both sides of the plate and he is a fantastic defensive third basemen."

The southpaw Martinez was the winning pitcher in the final game of the NY-Penn League Championship series and went 2-2 with a 2.51 ERA during the regular season.  "David proved he was a big-game pitcher in the finals with Staten Island in 2000," said Thomson.  "He had offseason knee surgery but we expect him to be ready to go in the spring."

Wang was signed by the New York Yankees for 1.5 million in the spring and went 4-4 with a 2.48 ERA in his first professional season in the United States.  "Tiger was very impressive in his first year," said Thomson.  "He will probably start off in Greensboro in 2001, but he could also move to Tampa.  He was lights out in our mini-camp and he is spending time in California during the offseason, taking classes and preparing for spring training."

Baseball America Announces 2000 NY-Penn League Penn-League Prospects:  The 2000 New York-Penn League Champion Staten Island Yankees had five players named to the annual Baseball America Top-20 Prospects list on Friday, September 29th.   

Elvis Corporan was selected as the second best prospect in the NY-Penn League for the 2000 season behind Jamestown's Wilson Betemit.

Corporan, who started the 2000 season off with the Greensboro Bats (South Atlantic League), hit .260 with 14 doubles, eight home runs, and 36 RBIs.  Corporan was considered one of the top defensive third basemen in the league and was a leader for the Yanks championship run.  

Danny Borrell (# 8), Andy Beal (# 9), Chien-Ming Wang (# 16), and David Parrish (# 17) were also added to the first ever Top-20 list.  

Borrell, who was selected in the second round of the 2000 June Draft by the New York Yankees out of Wake Forest University, went 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA in ten starts in his first professional season.  

Andy Beal, who led the league with nine wins and ended the season with a 9-3 record, was selected as the ninth-best prospect.  The southpaw out of Vanderbilt University had a team-best 2.34 ERA.  

Chien-Ming "Tiger" Wang was selected as the 16th best prospect for the 2000 season.  The Taiwanese right-hander went 4-4 with 2.48. 

David Parrish rounded out the SI Yanks selections.  Parrish, who was selected 28th overall in the 2000 June Free-Agent Draft was tabbed as the 17th best prospect in the NY-Penn League.  Parrish was one of the top defensive receivers during the 2000 campaign and hit .240 with 20 doubles, four home runs, and 29 RBIs.  

The 1999 SI Yanks had two players selected to Baseball America's Top-10 Prospects list.  Alex Graman was selected as the best prospect in the NY-Penn League in 1999. David Walling was tabbed as the sixth- best prospect in the SI Yanks inaugural season.   

The top prospects are selected by the coaches and managers of the NY-Penn League. 

 

News and Notes on 2000 Staten Island Yankees' Award Winners:

2000 Awards and Honors

Baseball America Short-Season Team of the Year

Staten Island Yankees

Baseball America Short-Season Manager of the Year

Joe Arnold (Staten Island Yankees)

Baseball America Short-Season All-Star Team Selection

Andy Beal (Staten Island Yankees)

Baseball America Top-20 Prospects

Elvis Corporan (No. 2)

Danny Borrell (No. 8)

Andy Beal (No. 9)

Chien-Ming Wang (No. 16)

David Parrish (No. 17)

New York-Penn League Postseason All-Star Team Selections

Elvis Corporan

Andy Beal

Mitch Jones