Editor's note-JD, Al, Doron, Jeff and I set out to rank the top 10 prospects in the minors at each position.  We eliminated anyone with MLB experience to alleviate any eligibility issues (as of 8/28).  We each ranked our top 10 at each position and then averaged the rankings to produce the list below.-Michael Herrick (Gatling)

1. Manny Machado

2. Wilmer Flores

3. Grant Green

4. Nick Franklin

5. Dee Gordon

6. Danny Espinosa

7. Jurickson Profar

8. Jose Iglesias

9. Hak-Ju Lee

10. Christian Colon

MANNY MACHADO

Michael Herrick: Manny Machado was the unanimous choice for #1 on this list.  No other SS prospect has his potential for being an all around star.  He projects to be a solid defender provided he doesn't out grow the position.  Machado's bat draws rave reviews and he looks to have 30 HR pop as he fills out.  I've seen comps ranging from ARod to Miguel Tejada to Barry Larkin, though I'm not sure any of those really fit.  In any event, Baltimore looks to have future star on their hands.

Jeff Reese: I like Manny Machado quite a bit, but the Alex Rodriguez comparison that he frequently draws is based more on his background than tools. Machado, like Rodriguez, was a Floridian short stop with Dominican descent. He is not on par with one of the best draft prospects in history. Despite that, Machado is a potential five tool player who currently (important to note) projects to remain at short stop which is why he is so highly regarded. His excellent bat speed and hand-eye coordination makes him a potential .300 hitter, but, while the power is projectable, average pop seems much more likely than the 30 that Mike mentioned. His speed is his worst tool, usually described as merely average, and, if he fills out too much, he could put the projection to remain at SS in doubt. He has the least amount of question marks of all the short stop prospects in the minors to go along with the highest ceiling.

Al Skorupa: I don't even think "A-Rod light" is appropriate. Best just to stay away from the comparisons... but Machado is a very good prospect. Very good chance of being above average with the glove and a very good bat. Looking around the league you'll see just how difficult it is to find a SS like that.

JD Sussman: Machado might not have A-Rod upside, as his power potential doesn't put him in A-Rod's class. However, as a 6'3" shorstop, he may fit the Rodriquez/Tulowitzki mold of shortstops who double as line backers. Currently Machado isn't that bulky, but he may get there forcing him off the position. If he were to outgrow the position, he could be a plus defender at third given his strong throwing arm and good instincts.

WILMER FLORES

MH: Wilmer Flores was ranked much higher by some of my colleagues than he was on my list.  I really can't see any scenario where he plays SS at the major league level, in fact I'm not sure he could really handle 3B or an outfield corner either.  He looks like a future 1B to me, and while his bat has the potential to play there he's still far from a sure thing.  He excelled in 2010 between the Sally League and the FSL, but his walk rate leaves much to be desired.  I buy him as a top 100 prospect because of the potential his bat holds, but for me he's a back half guy not a top 50 or higher type.

JR: I was much lower on Flores than the remaining members as well. Playing a position that he definitely cannot stay at long term has made predicting his future a bit cloudy. I generally agree with Mike's assessment, but I do not want to write him off at third base until scouts get a look at him playing the position. If he cannot remain at third base, his value takes a major hit. Flores has an excellent hit tool, but the power potential is only average, and he will need to do more than just hit for a high average to work at first base. If Mike Newman is correct in saying that he can play an average third base in the majors (http://scoutingthesally.com/?p=2194), he is quite the prospect. As a result, his ultimate value is extremely volatile, and I will be very interested to see in which direction his career advances.

AS: I think of Flores in the same light as I did Miguel Sano. Really like what I see. Need to see more. Very difficult to know where this is going right now... but the talent is obviously there. I do have some serious concerns about his athleticism and speed, too.

JS: I guess I'm the Flores lover in the group then. I think the poor reviews of his defense early in his career have snowballed out of control. After signing at 16 years old, he didn't have a lot of seasoning, but roughtly two years later, Mike Newman of Scouting the Sally has a starkly different view of Flores, "I’m confident he can at least play an average third base at the big league level once his time at shortstop comes to an end.  With excellent hands, a strong arm, and enough bat to project a high average and twenty or so home runs annually, he’s a much safer play than most give him credit for." (10/25/2010, link above in Jeff's comment). I don't get too concerned with walk rate until AA, but Flores will need to improve that aspect in his game. For what it is worth, it seems that Wilmer thinks he can be a shortstop. Seems crazy, but I like the confidence. In 17 games this winter he is hitting .373/.386/.588 with 5 2B and 2 HR, which leads Los Bravos de Margarita (VEN).

GRANT GREEN

MH: Grant Green is the biggest enigma for me.  He could be second best hitter behind Machado for those that could actually stick at short.  He looks capable of hitting .300/.360/.520 at his peak while providing average defense.  On the other hand, he could hit .270/.310/.440 while being an average defender at 2B because he doesn't have the arm to stick at SS.  I'm not confident enough in the former to put him any higher on my list than #5.

JR: Grant Green took a big step in proving to his doubters that his disappearing power during his junior year at USC is not a long term issue. The problem though is that he did it in the friendly California League and racked up an ugly strikeout to walk ratio in the process. It seems unlikely he will ever become a patient hitter, but his hitting ability should bring the strikeout total down to a more acceptable level. His range is solid enough at short stop, but the arm strength, which has been his biggest defensive deficiency since draft day, is fringy. As Mike notes, it will likely push him over to second base. His 2011 stint at Midland will prove a better barometer of his power than 2010. Still, I like the bat enough to rank him highly even as a future second baseman.

AS: With each report I read or hear I also become more pessimistic about Green's ability to play SS in the bigs. I think you guys have it right; we're probably looking at an around average 2B defensively with a plus bat. He's not as big a risk as Flores, but I certainly wouldn't quibble if we wanted to also call Green "volatile" either.

NICK FRANKLIN

MH: Franklin had a great year in the MWL, taking more than a few people by surprise.  While I think some people have overrated him based on the gaudy numbers, I do like the potential his bat provides.  I can see him as Kelly Johnson type hitter, solid average and walk rates with above average power for a middle infielder.  I'm not sure he sticks at SS long term, though Franklin would make a likely above average defender at 2B should he be forced to move.

JR: Franklin plays above his tools, making it tough to fully endorse him. Certainly a good prospect, but not the elite one the 23 Midwest League home runs would lead you to believe. His range is average currently and his arm is sometimes described as fringy for the position, but his defensive actions are good. It is too early to tell if a move to second base will be necessary or not.

AS: Third guy in a row that I have a hard time figuring out. The power isn't going to live up to the expectations he built this year, certainly. Still, its more than we thought it was a year ago. I'm a little more bullish on his ability to stick at SS, but its early and 2011 should prove revealing. The floor continues to rise on this guy and I'm a sucker for kids who play above their tools.

DEE GORDON

MH: Dee Gordon has plenty of fans, but I'm not one of them.  I readily acknowledge his athleticism and upside, but I'm skeptical he translates his natural ability and tools enough to be more than average regular at best.  The Dodgers were aggressive with his promotion this year, especially for someone with his limited experience.  It struck me odd at the time and still does, as he has many parts of his game that need much more work.  How they handle him over the next year or two could go a long way to determining how quickly he could realize his talent, if ever.

JR: Me? Oh, indeed, I am a Dee Gordon fan. I readily admit that he is a high-risk prospect, but it seems strange to me that many view him much more negatively than they did just a year ago. He managed to maintain a fairly similar BB and K percentage while skipping high-A. The slip in production can mostly be attributed to a lower BABIP. That's enough with the statistical side though, as those looking at him in that light will never see what there is to like. Dee is a raw athlete who took to the game significantly later in life than most professional baseball players (he had played two season of baseball prior to being drafted in 2008). He is an 80 runner and has the defensive tools to be a well above average defensive short stop. Unless he matures late in life, he will never hit for much power (although he could rack up an impressive number of non-homerun extra base hits thanks to his speed); however, that does not have to be his game. He has a quick bat that he uses to make consistent contact which should only improve as he gains more baseball experience. And to touch upon the statistical side one last time, most of his offensive struggles this year came against left-handed pitching (sadly, I cannot provide you with the numbers since minorleaguesplits went dark). Isn't that exactly what we would expect from an inexperienced left-handed hitter?

AS: The tools are all there (except hitting for power, obviously). The bat, as Jeff points out, is plenty quick. Gordon took up the game late and played 2010 in a very challenging league for his age. To stare at his offensive production and draw strong conclusions at this point is probably unfair. There is a lot to like about Gordon (though not his middle name).

DANNY ESPINOSA

MH: Danny Espinosa ranked 2nd on my list.  I love his combination of defense, patience, and power.  He's certainly not perfect by any means, as his high K rate will probably always lead to low batting averages.  Unlike Green and Franklin, if Espinosa does indeed end up at 2B for the Nationals it won't be because he can't handle SS defensively.  He might not be as good defensively as Profar or Iglesias but I feel he ranks right there with Hak-Ju Lee as the next best defender on the list.  When you combine his strengths with the fact that he's MLBready, I'd gladly take him over SS prospect not named Machado.

JR: Espinosa injured his hamate bone playing winter ball this November, and will likely see his best attribute (power) take a hit as a result. He should eventually regain it, but I think this affects his timetable significantly. His impatient approach is not too much of a hindrance if he is able to hit 20+ HRs, but it will be become a bigger detriment without that power. If I were in charge of the Nationals, I would leave him in AAA for most of the year to work on his approach. The extra development time certainly will not hurt him while they wait for the power to return. Defensively, he is probably a better option than Ian Desmond, but it looks like the Nationals see him as a second baseman; he should be a plus defender there.

JS: I agree Mike, that set of attributes (Power, Defense, and Patience) will be extremely valuable. But, I do have concern that those low batting averages are far too low, creating too many outs and therefore limiting his overall upside. Either way, he has an extremely high floor as a plus defender at 2B.

JURICKSON PROFAR

MH: Jurickson Profar is really little more than scouting reports at this point, with less than 300 PA's in Short Season ball to his name.  The reason he ranks 3rd on my list is how glowing those scouting reports are.  He profiles as a potentially plus defender at SS.  Though his raw stats aren't overly impressive, scouts were very impressed with the way he handled himself offensively against much older competition.

JR: Profar's surprising polish is what prompted the aggressive Northwest League assignment. He responded by being the best player in a league filled with recently drafted college players. He has a plus hit tool and average power potential to go along with smooth defensive actions at short stop. Profar has good range, despite only average speed, thanks to excellent instincts, and projects to be a plus defender as a result.

AS: This kid was 17 years old in the low A Northwest League. He flashed some very impressive tools and impressed the scouts. As you guys mentioned, his approach really set him apart. 28 BB: 46 K. You don't see that very often from 17 year olds in A ball. When you see it from one who is an athletic, toolsy shortstop... well, you can understand why there's such a buzz around Profar.

JOSE IGLESIAS

MH: Jose Iglesias had his debut season interrupted by injury.  He didn't show much with the bat in his time in AA, but I don't hold that against him too much given his situation.  He's the best defender on the list, Keith Law described watching Iglesias in the field as "baseball porn".  I'm curious to see what he can do with the bat next year when fully healthy, but I'm confident enough in his glove to rank him at #6 right now even if he never hits much.

JR: Jose Iglesias's defense is really what makes him the prospect that he is. A plus defensive short stop does not have to hit much to be valuable, and his defense is already major league ready. Iglesias has quick hands that should allow him to hit well enough to play every day.

AS: Fantastic glove. Very, very quick hands, wrists and bat. His approach is a major flaw in his game, but that misses the point. He was a young Cuban kid dropped into AA, into Maine, not really speaking English and he held his own with the bat while mystifying people with his glove. There's still plenty to like about his offensive production. I think Iglesias will play Gold Glove quality defense, hit for a high AVG and a post a surprisingly high SLG.

JS: Jeff, in an everyday role, his wOBA would have sub .275 range to put him around replacement level, and anything above .310 (.330 is about league average) should make him a star. At the very least, he'll be able to an elite defender who winds up a replacement level player because his bat is that bad. But as Al mentioned, he has the tools to be a decent hitter.

HAK-JU LEE

MH: Hak-Ju Lee is an above average defender with plus defensive potential and has shown solid plate discipline.  Those traits go a long way with me.  He looks to be a solid enough hitter for average, though he may never have any power what so ever.  He has good speed and could be a 25 SB threat on the bases.  The overall package of skills and tools Lee possesses slots him at #7 on my list.

JR: I see Hak-Ju Lee as a poor man's Dee Gordon. He has plus to plus-plus speed, very good defensive tools, an aggressive approach, minimal power potential and a quick bat. He needs to add significant polish to be the plus defender he's capable of being.

JS: That is a fair comparison, Jeff. Though, I think he has the swing and frame to add power to his game. His body control is excellent.

CHRISTIAN COLON

MH: Christian Colon isn't a flashy prospect by any means, but he's a hard worker and should carve out an MLB career in some form.  His speed and range aren't anything special and he gets by on positioning and strong defensive instincts.  He's not a lock to stick at SS though and he doesn't have a bat with the upside of guys like Green or Franklin, so that keeps him out of their class.  He ranks 10th on my list despite the those concerns, he just feels like one of those guys that will outperform the scouting reports.

JR: I do not believe Chirstian Colon is a short stop. He has excellent instincts at the position, but I have serious doubts that he can overcome well below average defensive tools (his speed has been given grades in the 30-40 range and his arm is fringy). That depresses his stock a bit, but his bat should still be plus at second base. He is a good hitter with average power who gets the most out of his tools. In retrospect, I probably should have ranked him a few spots higher than I did.

AS: I wouldn't play him at SS either, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Royals do so. At least for a while. I also have a hard time placing Colon. The shortstops as a group were very hard to rank. These players all have very disparate strengths and weaknesses and its difficult to compare them to each other.