Today, in Baseball America's latest round of minor league transactions, a number of notable names were optioned to the Eastern League. And although the assignments aren't final, they allow an approximate glimpse at some of the prospects that the Thunder should face this season.

Here's what BA reported this afternoon:

Baltimore Orioles
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Brandon Erbe, RHP Chorye Spoone, LHP Troy Patton, LHP Pedro Viola, 1B Joe Mahoney

Optioned to Double-A: RHP Luis Lebron, SS Pedro Florimon

Boston Red Sox
Signed: C Matt Spring
Released: RHP Doug Wogee
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Stolmy Pimentel, 2B Oscar Tejeda

Cleveland Indians
Signed: 1B Nick Johnson
Released: 1B Chris Kersten
Voluntarily retired: 1B Andrew Kinney
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Corey Kluber, RHP Zach McAllister, RHP Hector Rondon, 3B Jared Goedert, OF Nick Weglarz
Optioned to Double-A: LHP Kelvin de la Cruz, LHP Nick Hagadone

Detroit Tigers
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Lester Oliveros, RHP Jose Ortega, LHP Duane Below, LHP Andy Oliver, 3B Audy Ciriaco, SS Cale Iorg, OF Ryan Strieby
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Jacob Turner

Minnesota Twins
Signed: RHP Gerardo Ramirez, RHP Gonzalo Sanudo, LHP Andrew Albers (Quebec (Can-Am))
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP David Bromberg, RHP Eric Hacker, RHP Anthony Swarzak, OF Rene Tosoni
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Deolis Guerra, 1B Chris Parmelee, OF Joe Benson

New York Mets
Signed: RHP Manny Alvarez*
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Manny Alvarez, RHP Josh Stinson, 3B Zach Lutz, SS Ruben Tejada, OF Fernando Martinez
Optioned to Double-A: 2B Jordany Valdespin
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Armando Rodriguez

Philadelphia Phillies
Released: C Ryan Gugel, 1B Robb Quinlan
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Drew Naylor
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Justin De Fratus, RHP J.C. Ramirez, 1B Matt Rizzotti, 2B Harold Garcia, SS Carlos Rivero
Optioned to high Class A: 2B Cesar Hernandez

Pittsburgh Pirates
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Bryan Morris, LHP Daniel Moskos, LHP Tony Watson, OF Gorkys Hernandez, OF Alex Presley
Optioned to Double-A: RHP Ramon Aguero, LHP Jeff Locke, LHP Aaron Thompson
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Kyle McPherson

San Francisco Giants
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Henry Sosa, LHP Alex Hinshaw, LHP Clayton Tanner, 3B Conor Gillaspie, OF Thomas Neal
Optioned to Double-A: SS Ehire Adrianza, OF Francisco Peguero
Optioned to high Class A: RHP Jose Casilla

Washington Nationals
Signed: RHP Garrett Mock*, LHP Atahualpa Severino*, C Lou Santangelo
Released: RHP Cla Meredith
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Adam Carr, RHP Garrett Mock, LHP Atahualpa Severino
Optioned to low Class A: OF Bryce Harper

PITCHING MATCHUPS

RHP Ryan Pope (0-2, 4.87) vs. LHP Jon Kibler (2-2, 2.55) 6:35 p.m.
LHP Jeremy Bleich (1-1, 2.38) vs. RHP LJ Gagnier (2-0, 1.54) 1:05 p.m.
RHP David Phelps (2-0, 1.08) vs. LHP Duane Below (1-3, 6.39) 1:05 p.m.

Keys to the Series: The Thunder need to keep the offensive prowess from Sunday working, while simultaneously getting rid of the absolutely abysmal pitching. The bullpen in particular, which blew three saves and took four losses on the 1-6 homestand, needs to get back on track. The Thunder had leads in six games of the homestand, and lost five.

Who's Hot: Austin Romine has an 11-game hitting streak going, during which time he's clubbed eight doubles and driven in as many runs. Amazingly enough, he didn't play during the 12-run outburst. ... Marcos Vechionacci is 4-for-9 with a home run and three RBIs over his last two games. ... Brandon Laird is 6 for his last 16.

Good morning. The Thunder won last night, 3-1 over Erie. Here are links to all of Mike Ashmore's game stories that appeared in today's Trentonian. He'll be covering again tonight, and I'll be back on Sunday afternoon through the Akron series. Anyway, enough about me, here are the links.

Laird, Pope lift Thunder to 2-0

No word on Thunder's Garcia yet

Horne puts off surgery

Just got off the phone with the Yankees Player Development Complex in Tampa, and was told that they probably won't be ready to release the final roster until Thursday. Of course, Media Day is tomorrow, so we should probably have a pretty darn good idea of what that roster is going to look like based on which players are in attendance.

Still, some EL clubs have released their rosters, and there are some pretty darn nice names to anticipate seeing this season.

We'll start with Erie, which plays Trenton on Opening Day, April 8.

The Seawolves announced their rotation will be:
LHP Jon Kibler

RHP L.J. Gagnier
LHP Duane Below
RHP Thad Weber
LHP Andy Oliver

Three lefties in one rotation is pretty rare, and pretty nasty.

As for position players, Erie features returnee Cale Iorg, outfielders Deik Scram and Wilkin Ramirez. Amazingly, 17 of the SeaWolves' 24 players spent time in Double-A last season.

PORTLAND: The Sea Dogs' roster is stocked, period. Confirmed players include super-prospects Casey Kelly, Jose Iglesias, Lars Anderson, Luis Exposito and Ryan Kalish. For those counting, that's one pitcher, two infielders, a catcher and an outfielder. So, yeah, Portland manager Arnie Beyeler has a few names to play with.

Felix Doubront, Ryne Miller, Stephen Fife and Kyle Weiland join Kelly in the starting rotation.

Che-Hsuan Lin, the 2008 Futures Game MVP, will also roam with Kalish in the Sea Dogs outfield.

READING: With the R-Phils now in the Thunder's division (the EL East), there should be some concern over how flush with talent they are. Their roster includes two of the three players acquired in the Cliff Lee trade -Phillippe Aumont and Tyson Gillies - outfield stud Domonic Brown, as well as 20-year-old shortstop Freddy Galvis.

Yohan Flande (and his wonderfully childish hair), Drew Naylor, Mike Cisco and Vance Worley finish the rotation.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The biggest surprise, to me at least, is that Kyle Drabek is back in Double-A. This is especially shocking when you consider he made it to Triple-A last season with the Phillies. Maybe they just want to keep him away from Las Vegas.

Robert Bell, Zach Stewart (the Jays' top prospect before the Halladay trade), Luis Perez and Marty McLeary join Drabek in the starting five.

Also joining the Fisher Cats are slugging first baseman David Cooper, center fielder Darin Mastroianni, second baseman Brad Emaus and pitcher-turned-outfielder Adam Loewen. For what it's worth, I think Loewen's story is just as interesting as Pat Venditte's.

RICHMOND: The team formerly known as the Defenders boasts a cadre of position players, especially on the infield, in its inaugural season. Shortstop Brandon Crawford, second baseman Nick Noonan and third baseman Conor Gillaspie - their ninth, eleventh and seventeenth best prospects, according to Baseball America - will ply their trade with the Flying Squirrels (I love that name) in 2010.

Their outfield is even better, with Thomas Neal (No. 4 according to BA), Roger Kieschnick (No. 7) and Darren Ford (No. 13, and a Vineland native) slated to start.

Even though they don't have nearly the pitching of a year ago, the Flying Squirrels could make some noise in 2010.

Oh, I would be remiss if I didn't report that Richmond has Tony Pena Jr, son of the Yankees bench coach, on its roster.

HARRISBURG: Let's see, who are some big names you might like to see with the Senators this season. Well, there's Drew Storen, the closer and son of former XM host Mark Patrick. There's also Danny Espinosa, a slick fielding shortstop, as well as slugging first baseman Chris Marrero.

Oh, yeah, Stephen Strasburg, he's probably worth seeing. He'll make his first home start on April 16 against New Britain. His first overall start is April 11 at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona. Those might be your best chances to see him if you're a Thunder fan. I can't imagine he'll still be in Double-A when the Senators come calling on July 1.

ALTOONA: Although the final roster doesn't appear to be released yet, Jim Lane reports that prospects Tim Alderson and Gorkys Hernandez will start with the Curve. He also adds that Tony Sanchez, expected to start in Double-A, will begin with High-A West Virginia. Disappointing for sure, but don't be surprised to see him on June 15, when Altoona come to Waterfront Park for a three-game set.