Cardinals Castoff Quickly Lands With Rockies After Release

Oct 22, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St Louis Cardinals outfielder Mike Antico plays for the Salt River Rafters during an Arizona Fall League baseball game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cardinals Castoff Quickly Lands With Rockies After Release

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated May 19, 2026 2:22 PM ET

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A former member of the St. Louis Cardinals has quickly found a new home.

Outfielder Mike Antico was drafted by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft and has been working his way through the club's farm system ever since. Antico's journey in the Cardinals' farm system began with Class-A Palm Beach back in 2021. Between the 2021 and 2026 seasons, Antico made it all the way up to Triple-A Memphis, but was never able to make it over the hump and into the big leagues.

He had a good run in the organization, but the Cardinals cut him loose on May 12. The Cardinals announced that they gave Antico and catcher Carlos Linárez their unconditional release.

The Former Cardinals Prospect signed With The Rockies

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

It didn't take Antico long to find his next home. On Monday, Antico signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies and was assigned to the ACL Rockies, per his official MLB.com player profile.

Antico may not have been a big-name prospect in the Cardinals' farm system, but he was a solid depth piece and was one level below the majors before St. Louis moved on. He only played in six games this season with Triple-A Memphis and struggled, going 1-for-20 before his release. He was much better in 2025. Antico played in 104 games with Triple-A Memphis and slashed .279/.366/.420 with a .786 OPS, seven homers, 57 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, 21 doubles and 53 runs scored. That's some very solid production just one step from the majors. Back in 2023, Antico was the Cardinals' No. 23 overall prospect. Unfortunately, he never was able to get over the hump and make the jump to the big leagues.

Now, he's joining a Rockies organization that he realistically could be a depth option at some point. The Rockies are 19-29 after going 43-119 last season. The Rockies have gone through plenty of turnover and there surely will be more as we inch closer and closer to the 2026 MLB trade deadline. Hopefully, he can return to the level of play he was at last season with Triple-A Memphis. He's beginning his journey in the Rockies' farm system down with the ACL Rockies. He's spent enough time in Triple-A to believe he'll move up fairly quickly.

The Cardinals will welcome the Rockies to Busch Stadium for a three-game series beginning on Aug. 7. Maybe St. Louis will see its old friend then.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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