HARRISBURG

RHP Graham Stoneburner (1-1 1.64) vs. RHP Ryan Tatusko (0-2, 10.57)
RHP Craig Heyer (1-1, 1.54) vs. RHP Brad Peacock (1-1, 2.79)
LHP Steve Garrison (0-1, 4.38) vs. RHP Brad Meyers (2-1, 3.07)

RICHMOND

LHP Manny Banuelos (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Daryl Maday (0-1, 3.31)
LHP Shaeffer Hall (1-1, 3.12) vs. LHP Eric Surkamp (0-2, 3.38)
RHP Graham Stoneburner (1-1 1.64) vs. RHP Justin Fitzgerald (2-0, 0.90)
RHP Craig Heyer (1-1, 1.54) vs. LHP Clayton Tanner (0-2, 7.00)***

***This is just based on counting forward. The spot could conceivably be filled by Dellin Betances, if his blister is healed well enough to come back off of the DL.

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

Every Thursday, Minor Matters will unveil its Top 10 opposing players for the 2011 season. Yes, the Thunder are clearly the most interesting topic on this blog, but wouldn't be nice to hear about the next Matt Wieters, Carlos Santana or Stephen Strasburg to come through the Eastern League. Yeah, I thought so too.

No. 10 - Charlie Culberson













Bio: Culberson was selected in sandwich round, with the 51st pick, by the Giants in 2007, out of high school in Calhoun, Ga. He stands 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and is right-handed. He was a supplemental pick San Francisco received for the loss of Mike Stanton.

2010: With San Jose, he hit .290/.340/.797 with a career-high 16 bombs and 71 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 32 attempts.

With the Scottsdale Scorpions during this Arizona Fall League, however, he's had quite the uptick in production. The slash line is a gaudy .383/.419/1.048 with two home runs, 16 RBIs and a stolen base.

What People Are Saying:

"Seeing the way he's swinging the bat right now in the Valley of the Sun, and his improved approach at the plate, I've definitely upgraded him. He's far from a finished product, but he's at least flashing the potential that made him a high pick in the first place. " -- Jason Grey, ESPN

"(A) much better hitter than I previously thought." -- Keith Law, ESPN

"Nearly all of Culberson's tools play up because of his advanced feel for the game. He has good bat speed, a patient approach at the plate, and a smooth line-drive swing. His speed is a tick above average, and he's an outstanding base runner. In the field, he has good fundamentals and a strong arm." Kevin Goldstein, Baseball Prospectus, 2008

When You Can See Him: Culberson will move up to Double-A for 2011. The Flying Squirrels come in to Waterfront Park from April 18-20 and July 28-31.

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.