5 risers (and 5 fallers) among the St. Louis Cardinals' top 30 prospects

Mike Antico - Down 9 Spots

Antico is a baffling case. He's made obvious gains this year. After struggling in AA last year, his average is up nearly 30 points, his slugging percentage is up nearly 80 points. He's having a career year in every way. Oh, and he's also stolen 40 bases in the process.

Antico's 14 home runs in 92 games in 2023 match his total from 2022. Half of those came at a lower level, too. Antico is, without a doubt, having the best season of his professional career. The Victor Scott II hype is deserved, but don't let it block out Antico's potential and success. Together, they're an elite base-stealing duo, and both deserve considerable appreciation.

The drop is probably due to several factors, but his age is the central one. Antico was old when he was drafted, and has been older than the competition at each stop. He was taken at 23 years of age. He's now 25 and has yet to reach AAA. However, that isn't his fault. All he can control is his performance, which has been outstanding. Antico possesses the tools to hit 15 homers and swipe 40 bags while playing plus defense. That's a really exciting player!

Hopefully, the Cardinals see him that way and give him a chance to contribute in 2024. Reaching AAA is a huge step in the right direction, and if he does that before the end of the 2023 season, he has a great chance to debut in St. Louis in 2024.