Pipeline Preview: Dominant Duplantier on hill

Here's a look at top prospects to watch in today's Minor League action:
Hitter to watch: Austin Meadows (Pirates' No. 1), Indianapolis vs. Louisville (7:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Meadows went 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs scored for Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday in his fifth game since being activated from the disabled list. The No. 20 overall prospect spent more than a month on the shelf as a result of the strained right hamstring he suffered on June 22. Prior to the injury, the 22-year-old outfielder had slashed .248/.313/.358 with four home runs over 68 games in the International League.

Pitcher to watch: Jon Duplantier (D-backs' No. 2), Visaila vs. San Jose (10 p.m. ET)
Duplantier has been nothing short of dominant this season, posting a 1.49 ERA across two levels after allowing 10 earned runs at each stop. The righty has been particularly strong as of late, allowing four earned runs over the past five games. Duplantier, who was taken in the third round of the 2016 Draft, went 21 1/3 innings before allowing a run to start the season. The Rice product pitched just one inning in 2016, missing the rest of the season with elbow soreness after a heavy college workload.

Duel of the day: Yohander Méndez (Rangers' No. 4) vs. Eric Lauer (Padres' No. 8), Frisco at San Antonio (8:05 p.m. ET on MiLB.TV)
Mendez, 22, missed time earlier in the month with neck stiffness, but has since returned to log back-to-back scoreless starts for Double-A Frisco. The southpaw has allowed three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in six innings between the two outings. After reaching the Major Leagues last September at age 21, Mendez has returned to the Texas League this season to register a 3.68 ERA and .226 opponents' average with 113 strikeouts in 127 1/3 innings (22 starts).

Lauer struggled in his first month with San Antonio, posting a 6.75 ERA with a .310 opponents' average over 28 innings (five starts) in July. The 22-year-old left-hander has fared much better so far in August, allowing one or fewer earned runs in three straight starts en route to a 1.20 ERA. Including his time with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore, the Kent State product has pitched to a 3.58 ERA with 119 strikeouts and 34 walks in 110 2/3 innings across two levels in his first full season.

Thursday's Top 100 prospect probables
No. 78 Adrian Morejon (Padres' No. 5), Fort Wayne at Lake County (7 p.m. ET)
More top prospect probables
Jalen Beeks (Red Sox's No. 18), Pawtucket vs. Buffalo (Triple-A)
Clay Holmes (Pirates' No. 19), Indianapolis vs. Louisville (Triple-A)
Gabriel Ynoa (Orioles' No. 25), Norfolk vs. Charlotte (Triple-A)
Dillon Peters (Marlins' No. 4) vs. Spencer Adams (White Sox No. 15), Jacksonville vs. Birmingham
Mitchell White (Dodgers' No. 6), Tulsa at Arkansas (Double-A)
Sean Reid-Foley (Blue Jays' No. 7), New Hampshire vs. Hartford (Double-A)
Marcos Molina (Mets' No. 8), Binghamton at Portland (Double-A)
Tyler Alexander (Tigers' No. 12), Erie vs. Akron (Double-A)
Touki Toussaint (Braves' No. 15), Mississippi at Chattanooga (Double-A)
Alex Young (D-backs' No. 18), Jackson at Pensacola (Double-A)
Austin Voth (Nationals' No. 21), Harrisburg at Reading (Double-A)
Jake Jewell (Angels' No. 23), Mobile at Biloxi (Double-A)
Jon Duplantier (D-backs' No. 2), Visalia vs. San Jose (Class A Advanced)
Peter Lambert (Rockies' No. 5), Lancaster vs. Inland Empire (Class A Advanced)
Logan Shore (A's No. 8), Stockton vs. Modesto (Class A Advanced)
Jake Woodford (Cardinals' No. 13), Palm Beach at Jupiter (Class A Advanced)
Sandy Baez (Tigers' No. 15), Lakeland at Tampa (Class A Advanced)
Kodi Medeiros (Brewers' No. 23), Carolina Winston-Salem (Class A Advanced)
Bryan Mata (Red Sox's 16), Greenville vs. Columbia (Class A)
A.J. Alexy (Rangers' No. 19), Hickory at Delmarva (Class A)
Bryse Wilson (Braves' No. 22), Rome vs. Lexington (Class A)
Mack Lemieux (D-backs' No. 28), Kane County vs. Cedar Rapids (Class A)
Jose Paulino (Cubs' No. 30), South Bend at West Michigan (Class A)
Cole Ragans (Rangers' No. 6), Spokane vs. Tri-City (Class A Short Season)
Nick Raquet (Nationals' No. 16), Auburn at Williamsport (Class A Short Season)
Jake Thompson (Red Sox's No. 21), Lowell vs. Vermont (Class A Short Season)