Ranking the best 50 prospects in any organization is never easy. Injuries, unexpected performance and many other factors affect careers in both the minors and majors.

I can say that I have seen most of these players perform, some throughout a whole season. Take these ratings – as all really could be digested – with a grain of salt.

Look back at these perhaps in 2012. Who made it. Who didn’t. Who was traded and became a star elsewhere.

Players come out of nowhere and rise quickly. Pitcher Alfredo Aceves comes to mind. Others fall quickly.  Pitcher Alan Horne was on the cusp of the majors after a 12-4, 3.11 season with Double-A Trenton in 2007, earning Pitcher of the Year honors in the Eastern League.

Since then, injuries have ruined two seasons.

“I know what to do on the mound, but I just can’t do it,’’ said Horne, just before he was shut down in 2009.

Other highly regarded pitchers, such as Dellin Betances, due to injury, and Andrew Brackman, due to control issues, head into 2010 as question marks. On the other hand, David Phelps will be riding high in April, but will he be shot down in May?

Will Pat Venditte’s switch-pitching act play in Double-A?

As Frank Sinatra crooned,  ”That’s Life.’’

Here is how the Yankees’ Top 50 Prospects look on my watch in November.  Things could change radically, beginning with spring training:

THE TOP 10

1 Jesus Montero – Ready to put up big numbers in 2010, starting in Trenton after hitting .337 (117-for-347) with 17 homers and 70 RBIs in 92 games between the Thunder and Tampa. Broken finger ended his season and he is hitting just .115 (3-for-26) with Magallanes of the Venezula Winter League.

2 Austin Jackson – Certainly big-league ready defensively.  Hit .300 (151-for-504) with Triple-A Scranton.  Power has not come,  but remember power is the last tool to develop. Depending on roster moves, will see time in New York in 2010.

3 Zach McAllister – At 7-5, 2.23 and a strikeout/walk ratio of 96-33, he was named an Eastern League All-Star.  Has the pinpoint control and mound manner to be a solid No. 3 starter. Ticketed for Triple-A in 2010.

4 Francisco Cervelli – Hit .298 (28-for-94) in 42 games with Yankees. Fun guy to be around and good hitter, just not for power.  Yankees backup backstop until either Romine or Montero dislodge him.

5 Austin Romine – Ahead of Montero in technique behind the plate.  Footwork and release improving. Batted .276 (122-for-442) with Tampa and will get a test at Trenton in 2010.

6 David Phelps – Righty put together a breakout 2009, much like lefty Phil Coke did in 2008. Went 13-4, 2.38 with a strikeout/walk ratio of 122-31 between Charleston and Tampa.  Notre Dame product has 2010 spot at Trenton waiting for him.

7 Kevin Russo – Those who haven’t seen this guy play can’t appreciate how good he really is.  A Brett Gardner type,  but a solid infielder with more power.  Batted .326 (115-for-353) while playing 90 games at Triple-A Scranton.

8 Eduardo Nunez –  A deserved Eastern League All-Star.  Some decried his 31 errors, many made on hurried plays. Was Trenton’s best player and batted .322 (160-for-497). If you feel Nunez’s 31 miscues were too much, then look up Derek Jeter’s minor-league stats and check his error total when he was at Greensboro in the early 1990s.

9 Ian Kennedy – Healthy, more mature and experienced.  Both he and Chien-Ming Wang are being ignored by many in looking at the Yankees’ 2010 rotation.

10 Ivan Nova – Curve and changeup developed in 2009, helping his 94 mph fastball be more effective.  Was 6-8, 3.68 with Trenton and Scranton, but is not that far away.

THE REST

11 Adam Warren

12 Brandon Laird

13 Juan Miranda

14 Manuel Banuelos

15 DJ Mitchell

16 Andrew Brackman

17 Kevin Whelan

18 Brad Rulon

19 Damon Sublett

20 Daniel Brewer

21 Lance Pendleton

22 Dellin Betances

23 Slade Heathcott

24 George Kontos

25 Deangelo Mack

26 Corban Joseph

27 Neal Medchill

28 Pat Venditte

29 Josh Schmidt

30 Kelvin DeLeon

31 Brad Suttle

32 Melky Mesa

33 Michael Dunn

34 Reegie Corona

35 Wikins Arias

36 Jimmy Parades

37 Abraham Almonte

38 Austin Krum

39 Hector Noesi

40 Alan Horne

41 Jon Hovis

42 Eric Wordekemper

43 Christian Garcia

44 Jose Valdez

45 Edwin Walker

46 Gavin Brooks

47 Jose Pirela

48 Phiip Bartelski

49 Raymond Nunez

50 Humberto Sanchez

Jed spent 35 years in the newspaper business working as both a writer and editor, in both sports and news under tight deadline pressure. As both sports editor at the Indiana (Pa.) Gazette and a copy editor/columnist at The Times of Trenton, he made daily decisions on overall coverage and designed and produced thousands of pages and special sections. Since accepting a buyout from The Times, he has concentrated on broadening his writing and editing horizons to the medical, academic and business fields. Anyone is welcome to Google Jed to see the different places in print, on the Web and in front of the camera his professional expertise has spread to.

Jed Weisberger

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Tags: Alan Horne, Andrew Brackman, Austin Jackson, Austin Romine, David Phelps, Dellin Betances, Eduardo Nunez, Ian Kennedy, Ivan Nova, Jesus Montero, Kevin Russo, New York Yankees, Pat Venditte, Top 50 Yankees Prospects, Zach McAllister