SAN DIEGO -- The first time Genevieve Ortega-Alves made a play at Petco Park, she was 7 years old sitting in the left-field seats during batting practice. She recalls her dad initially being horrified at the attempt -- at least until she cleanly gloved the home run ball on the fly.
In hindsight, it was perhaps a sign of things to come.
Now Ortega-Alves will be representing the Padres at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia as part of the All-Star ball crew. Last week, she was named the National League’s representative, joining Kayla Corbett from the White Sox, who will represent the American League.
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On Friday, Ortega-Alves flew to Philadelphia to attend the Draft. She’ll take part in the All-Star red carpet on Tuesday. Then, on Tuesday night, she’ll cover one of the foul lines at Citizens Bank Park during the game.
“It’s been a pretty wild week,” Ortega-Alves said. “But I’m really excited. It feels, really, like a dream come true.”
Ortega-Alves is a diehard lifelong Padres fan, whose family had season tickets when she was growing up. She recalls going to games practically every other night as a kid.
One of her favorite childhood memories was attending Trevor Hoffman’s 500th career save. She later attended Game 4 of the 2022 NLDS as a fan -- “still chasing that feeling,” she said. In fact, much of Ortega-Alves’ life has been centered around Petco Park.
“I grew up in left field,” she said.
As she did, Ortega-Alves remembers keeping one eye on the Padres’ ballgirls. They got to play catch with the players between innings. Occasionally, they made highlight-reel plays themselves. She thought that was pretty cool -- even if she never seriously considered the possibility until years later.
Ortega-Alves played catcher in youth softball, attended San Diego High School and, later, San Diego Mesa College, where her career ended early because of injuries and the pandemic. She later joined a women’s fast-pitch league in San Diego, and it was there where she heard about ballgirl tryouts.
“I’ve been a Padres fan my whole life,” she said. “I saw the opening and was like, ‘I have to apply.’”
She aced the tryout, then began in her role as ballgirl in 2023. That summer she made a handful of plays. One of them -- a basket catch by the netting on a Manny Machado foul ball -- earned her play of the game honors.
That was a dream come true for Ortega-Alves. So was the opportunity to work the 2024 postseason. And now?
“And now, I’m a Padres ballgirl going to the All-Star Game,” she said. “Which is insane.”