Pipeline preview: Big Apple prospects to square off

A few years from now, Yankees' No. 1 prospect Gary Sanchez and Mets' No. 4 prospect Brandon Nimmo could be playing leading roles in New York and face off annually in the Subway Series. For now, however, both are in the Eastern League, Sanchez catching for Double-A Trenton and Nimmo patrolling the outfield for Binghamton.

Sanchez and Nimmo will continue their four-game series as Binghamton hosts Trenton at 7:05 p.m. ET on Friday. The series began Thursday as the Eastern League resumed after a brief two-day All-Star break. The Mets won the series opener, 8-4, behind a solid start from left-hander Steven Matz, the club's No. 10 prospect.

Though Nimmo was hitless in Thursday's victory, he drew two walks and scored a run. It was a game representative of his recent play with Binghamton -- even as he has struggled at the plate (hitting .207), he has still found ways to be productive. Nimmo has an on-base percentage of .336 and has scored 18 runs in 26 games.

Nimmo, ranked No. 94 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, began the season with Class A Advanced St. Lucie, where he had a breakout first half. In 62 games, Nimmo hit .322/.448/.458 with four home runs and nine stolen bases. It was the kind of performance the Mets had believed Nimmo was capable of when they made him the 13th overall selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.

Second baseman Dilson Herrera, the Mets' No. 9 prospect, has joined Nimmo in both St. Lucie and Binghamton. Herrera has found more immediate success in Double-A, and he is hitting .333/.398/.505 with three home runs and three stolen bases in 24 games since being promoted.

Sanchez, No. 39 on the Top 100, has spent the whole season with Trenton. He is hitting .268/.337/.416 with nine home runs in 77 games.

Hitting behind Sanchez in the Thunder's lineup is Yankees' No. 20 prospect Peter O'Brien. O'Brien began the season at Class A Advanced Tampa and has been one of the surprise stars of the season. O'Brien has hit 29 home runs, the third most of all Minor Leaguers, and played for the U.S. team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday.

All the offensive stars on the Trenton and Binghamton rosters mean their matchup Friday could be another slugfest. Elsewhere in the Minor Leagues, however, runs may be tougher to come by. Also highlighting the day's action are several pitchers ranked on the Top 100 who are scheduled to start, including Archie Bradley (No. 4), Robert Stephenson (No. 16), Alex Meyer (No. 24), Pierce Johnson (No. 81) and Hunter Harvey (No. 88).

Fans can watch Stephenson and Meyer on MiLB.TV at 7:05 p.m. ET. Both will be making their first starts since pitching for the U.S. team in the Futures Game. Stephenson, the Reds' No. 1 prospect, will take the ball for Double-A Pensacola at Jacksonville. Meyer, the Twins' No. 3 prospect, will lead Triple-A Rochester against Norfolk.

Top prospect probables
Tyler Anderson (Rockies' No. 10), Tulsa vs. Arkansas
Jayson Aquino (Rockies' No. 17), Modesto at Inland Empire
Michael Blazek (Brewers' No. 18), Nashville at Oklahoma City
Archie Bradley (D-backs' No. 1), Mobile vs. Chattanooga
Sean Brady (Indians' No. 17), Mahoning Valley vs. Connecticut
Parker Bridwell (Orioles' No. 15), Frederick at Salem
Tyler Danish (White Sox No. 4), Winston-Salem vs. Myrtle Beach
Chase De Jong (Blue Jays' No. 12), Lansing vs. Kane County
Kendry Flores (Giants' No. 20), San Jose vs. Rancho Cucamonga
Alex Gonzalez (Rangers' No. 5), Frisco vs. Corpus Christi
Severino Gonzalez (Phillies' No. 6), Reading vs. New Britain
Hunter Harvey (Orioles' No. 3), Delmarva vs. Hagerstown
David Holmberg (Reds' No. 6), Louisville at Toledo
Lars Huijer (Mariners' No. 20), High Desert vs. Stockton
Tyrell Jenkins (Cardinals' No. 15), Palm Beach vs. Tampa
Jake Johansen (Nationals' No. 12), Hagerstown at Delmarva
Pierce Johnson (Cubs' No. 8), Tennessee at Huntsville
Felix Jorge (Twins' No. 9), Elizabethton at Princeton
Nate Karns (Rays' No. 7), Durham at Gwinnett
Alex Meyer (Twins' No. 3), Rochester at Norfolk
Ariel Pena (Brewers' No. 17), Nashville at Oklahoma City
Chris Reed (Dodgers' No. 6), Chattanooga at Mobile
Adrian Sampson (Pirates' No. 20), Altoona vs. Bowie
Tyler Skulina (Cubs' No. 19), Kane County at Lansing
Teddy Stankiewicz (Red Sox's No. 17), Greenville vs. Asheville
Robert Stephenson (Reds' No. 1), Pensacola at Jacksonville
Austin Voth (Nationals' No. 16), Potomac vs. Wilmington
Tom Windle (Dodgers' No. 7), Rancho Cucamonga at San Jose
Asher Wojciechowski (Astros' No. 12), Oklahoma City vs. Nashville