Twins Daily Minor League Reliever of the Month - June 2022

Honorable Mention

• Hunter Wood (St. Paul Saints) 5 G, 4.2 IP, H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K, 0.00 ERA, 1.07 WHIP
• Evan Sisk (Wichita Wind Surge, St. Paul Saints) 8G, 10.2 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 6 H, 4 BB, 13 K, 0.84 ERA, 0.94 WHIP. 
• Miguel Rodriguez (Cedar Rapids Kernels) 7 G, 9.2 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 11 K, 0.93, 1.97 WHIP
• Malik Barrington (Fort Myers Mighty Mussels) 6 G, 11.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 7 BB, 16 K, 1.54 ERA, 1.60 WHIP
• Isaiah Rivera (FCL Twins) 5 G, 5 IP, 3 H, 1, R, 1 ER, 8 SO, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIPS

Number Three: Austin Schulfer (St. Paul Saints) 7 G, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO, 2.16 ERA, 1.08 WHIP

After giving up just one run over 15 games and 23 innings in Wichita (0.38 ERA), Schulfer was promoted to the Saints. He made one Triple-A appearance before the calendar turned to June. Among his seven appearances in June, he went 3-0 with a save. He continued to throw strikes. 

Schulfer was the Twins 19th round pick in 2018 out of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He was worked out of the bullpen and as a starter at various times in his career. In 2021, he started for Wichita and led the Twins minor leagues in Innings Pitched. Could Schulfer debut in the much-maligned Twins bullpen yet this season? We shall see. 

Number Two: Bobby Milacki (Cedar Rapids Kernels) 7 G, 11.2 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 10 K, 0.77 ERA, 0.94 WHIP

Milacki is the son of a former major-leaguer, Bob Milacki, who pitched for the Orioles in the early '90s. The son was drafted by the Nationals in 2018. He headed to the independent leagues, and early in the 2021 season, the Twins signed him from Joliet in the Frontier League. He pitched well in limited duty with the Mighty Mussels a year ago.

This year, the 26-year-old has pitched well out of the bullpen in Cedar Rapids. Blessed with a mid-90s fastball, Milacki is 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 21 games for the Kernels this season. In 35 innings, he has 13 walks and 34 strikeouts. He also keeps the ball in the ballpark. He's allowed just two homers all season. 

Twins Daily Minor League Reliever of the Month: Denny Bentley (Wichita Wind Surge)
10 G, 11.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 8 BB, 16 SO, 1.59 ERA, 1.50 WHIP

Bentley was the Twins 33rd round draft pick in 2018 out of Howard College in Texas. Following the lost 2020 season, he broke out in a big way in 2022. He recorded nine saves in Ft. Myers before ending the season pitching well in Cedar Rapids. In 58 1/3 combined innings, he walked 33 but struck out 87 batters (13.4 K/9). 

The 24-year-old began the 2022 season with the Kernels before getting a promotion to Wichita at the end of May. His first Wind Surge outing came on June 1. He certainly walked too many batters, but he continues to rack up strikeouts at a very impressive rate. 

What are your thoughts on the choices? Who would get your vote for Twins Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month?