A Minor League Subway Series Matchup

On the ride back from the Phillies/Giants matinee at Citizens Bank Park, we stopped at Trenton to catch the Thunder hosting the Mets Double-A club, the Binghamton Mets. The big attraction was the Yankees top minor league pitching prospect Luis Severino. Flashing a fastball that peaked at 98 MPH (according to the scoreboard), he impressed -- especially in the first inning, when he struck out three, after giving up a hit to B-Mets leadoff man Brandon Nimmo.
But the 20-year-old wore down inning-by-inning. He struck out three in the first inning; then four over the next three innings. He made several Binghamton batters look bad -- so it's clear he has "good stuff." But as the game moved on, more and more of the Mets prospects were making good contact and driving balls right up the middle. Don't expect to see him in Yankee pinstripes anytime soon. The other prospect who made a strong impression was Dilson Herrera (below), the B-Mets 2nd baseman. Even though the box score said he went 1-for-4, the ball made *that* sound coming off his bat. Solid contact, good speed, nice moves in the field. He's batting over .350 on the season.
It's going to be a fun weekend in Trenton -- as the Yankees' and Mets' double-A clubs renew their rivalry. An hour away from New York -- and at a fraction of the cost -- this is a unique way for diehard fans to dream about the future.

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