Cardinals sever ties with team-renowned, fleet-footed Springfield record holder

The St. Louis Cardinals' promotion of catching phenom Rainiel Rodriguez elicited excited chatter from fans, but for longtime followers of the Cardinals farm system, one of their subsequent moves has likely evoked some disappointment, as the Cardinals announced on May 12 that they have released outfielder Mike Antico, along with catcher Carlos Linarez.

Antico was an organizational soldier with the Cardinals, spending parts of six seasons in the farm system after the team drafted him in the eighth round in 2021. The Cardinals' No. 25 prospect in 2023 according to Baseball America, Antico was long one of the fastest players in the organization. He set the stolen base record for Double-A Springfield in 2023, swiping 52 bases and getting caught only eight times while even displaying some pop, hitting 18 home runs that season. Across Springfield and Triple-A Memphis in 2024, Antico hit .266 with 33 steals and 16 home runs, and in 2025 with Memphis, he hit .279 with 21 stolen bases.

There was some speculation prior to 2026 spring training that Antico had an outside shot to make the major league roster, but those thoughts were soon laid to rest after he accumulated only seven at-bats in seven preseason games, and he was one of the first players reassigned to Memphis. In six minor league games this year, he managed just one hit in 22 plate appearances.

With Lars Nootbaar expected to return from the injured list on May 24, the Cardinals will have another mouth to feed in an already crowded outfield. Now 28 years old, Antico was running out of time to make an impact on the big league roster, and players with speed as their carrying tool tend to burn out faster than most others since it's the only attribute that is generally at its best when a player is just beginning his career.

Fans aren't the only group that is likely bummed about Antico's release.

If Antico is interested in continuing his career, they may be a suitor for him because of his beloved personality in the clubhouse. An article in STLToday mentioned Antico as the most popular player in camp, a "glue guy" whom everyone on the team loves and who brings the clubhouse together. Other teams are aware of players' reputations, which could provide Antico with a shot that his skill set alone might not give him.

Although Antico didn't have a spot with the Cardinals as a player, the team might be waiting with a new role if and when he calls it a career. As the Belleville News-Democrat's Jeff Jones pointed out on X, Antico's personality and ability to draw players toward him could make him an excellent coach within the organization.

Minor league fans and his teammates will miss Antico, but while his time as a player in the Cardinals system as a player may have concluded, there could be another baseball chapter yet to be written for the beloved speedster.

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