Twins Daily Minor League Reliever of the Month - June 2022

[David Youngs]

There were a number of incredible performances from the 'pen over the last month. See who we've selected as our Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month!

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?

 

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[Dman]

I am keeping my eyes on Sisk and Wood and maybe Schulfer as possible adds for the the Twins pen.  Sisk could be another decent lefty reliever and we don't have many of those.

Personally I would have had Sisk as number one your list as I like his much better balanced WHIP and ERA.  His K rate isn't bad either just not as high as Bently's.  Milaki would even be a better number 1 as well IMO but I would go with the guy at AAA first.

To me the thing that separate's the relief arms that make it and those that don't is generally WHIP.  If you can't keep it close to 1.00 then they aren't ready.  Need K's too but that is what generally helps keep the WHIP down. 

Some good performances and hopefully they work their way up to the MLB level.

[Alex Schieferdecker]

Sisk remains the guy to watch for me. He's just 25 and pitching well. He hasn't been quite as unhittable in St. Paul so far as he was in Wichita, but it's a small sample size and if he can put together another two or three weeks of great relief pitching, he should move up to the front of the line for a call-up.

[D.C Twins]

Let's rename this "The Pagan Replacement Watch"

....what?!.... too soon?

[nclahammer]

Nice to know that the relief well is far from dry.

[Otaknam]

Slim pickings except maybe Shulfer. Lots of walks by some of these guys, which should keep them from the bigs unless their WHIP is low. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

Free Anthony Slama. 

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, tarheeltwinsfan said:

Free Anthony Slama. 

At age 38, he's just the veteran presence this team needs!

[Sean.h]

Whip of 1.50 is depressing for the top guy!