Aaron Nola, Kyle Schwarber face off Sunday in first battle of 2014 draftees

CHICAGO --- Aaron Nola on Tuesday became the fifth 2014 draftee to debut in the major leagues. The list has since grown to six, after Michael Conforto's Friday promotion to the New York Mets.

But Sunday afternoon, when Nola makes his first major league road start at Wrigley Field, will signify the first of many times members of last year's draft class face off in a game. Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs' latest rookie sensation, is starting his first game of the series, catching starter Jason Hammel and batting second in Joe Maddon's lineup.

"I got to talk to him a little bit at the Futures Game," said Nola, who attended the July 12 game in Cincinnati but did not pitch. "The guy's competitive, man. Obviously the fans and the Cubs love him. He's a solid player, a solid guy, so it's going to be pretty cool playing against him."

It should provide an intriguing matchup, Nola the righthander with exceptional command against Schwarber, the left-handed power bat. Schwarber, the third pick in last June's draft, in only 45 at-bats already has 18 hits, including two doubles, a triple and three home runs. Tuesday night in Cincinnati he became the first Cub since Andre Dawson in 1990 to hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning and a game-winner in extra innings.

Nola, last year's seventh overall pick, impressed in his debut at Citizens Bank Park with six efficient innings of one-run ball against the Tampa Bay Rays. This weekend marked not only his first time at Wrigley Field but his first trip to Chicago.

"It had always been a dream to come here," he said of the Cubs' historic ballpark. "To finally experience that (Friday) and step on the field for the anthem, watching from the dugout, the crowd, it's pretty awesome. They have great support over here, and it feels like you're in a box. It's pretty amazing just to be over here."