When the Triple-A season wrapped up last weekend, Kevin Alcántara was told to head to the Cubs complex in Arizona and be ready in case he was needed in the majors.

It seemed like a long shot, so Alcántara mentally shifted his focus.

“I was thinking about preparing myself for next year,” the 22-year-old outfielder admitted. “They told me it was a possibility, but I was more focused on what I needed to do to come back better next year.”

That included how to stay healthier in 2025 and preparing an offseason regimen that can help in that. A shoulder injury caused him to miss over 2 weeks in June and he didn’t want that to occur again next season.

After a workout on Tuesday night, Alcántara had some free time, so he booted up his PlayStation 5 and logged onto his My Player career mode in NBA 2K25.

He was grinding away at the game when his phone rang — it was assistant general manager Jared Banner. He was needed the next day in Philadelphia and was being called up to the major leagues.

“I was like, ‘Oh, good,’” Alcántara recalled. “I felt good.”

[MORE: Kevin Alcántara details emotions behind call up]

He wasn’t jumping up and down with joy. Alcántara holds a confidence and swagger that oozes whenever he walks into a room or when he steps on the field. He called his parents immediately to share the news, including his dad, Francisco.

“We were calm,” Alcántara said.

Alcántara was aware of the situation he was being called into. There were 4 games left in the season and playing time was far from a certainty. So, Alcántara had a sponge mentality — he would learn from his veteran teammates, observe and maybe have some game action.

But the Cubs did tell him to be ready.

“I was told I was going to Philadelphia, but I wasn’t told I was going to play or anything like that,” the 6-foot, 6-inch outfielder said. “But when I got to the airport, they were like ‘You’re in the lineup.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God. I haven’t even gotten to the stadium yet.’”

Alcántara rushed to the stadium after landing — he was activated a little over an hour before first pitch and had to prepare in a hurry. And he wanted to make the most of his big-league debut.

He knew pitchers usually like to attack hitters they’ve never faced before early, so Alcántara planned to swing at any pitch that he saw belt-high and above in the middle part of the zone. The first pitch was middle-middle, so Alcántara took a hack and flew out to right field.

In his final at-bat, Alcántara hit a soft chopper to third base and charged to first base. He legged out a single — his first career major league hit.

“I’m giving it to my dad so he can put it back home and in a case,” Alcántara said of the ball from his first hit.

On Thursday’s off day, Alcántara’s family flew to Chicago to watch their son in person. That was when the emotions finally kicked in.

“My dad told me he’s really proud of me,” Kevin Alcántara said. “He says if he dies, he can go in peace.”

He started for the second straight game on Friday at historic Wrigley Field in the Cubs’ 1-0 win over the Reds, his family in attendance. The final weekend of the series won’t have a drastic impact on the Cubs’ 2024 season — it will still end as a season without a playoff experience — but it’s the beginning of what Alcántara hopes is a long major-league journey.

“Year-by-year and league-by-league, I’ve learned that the leagues are different and that there’s smarter pitchers and that will happen at this league, too,” Alcántara said. “I just have to keep studying the league and good things will come if I have health.

“I don’t have worries about not having success in the majors because I’ve believed I can play in the major leagues for a long time. It’s just about thinking about things, analyzing things and doing things right.”

That confidence stems from his faith and belief in himself. He’s been playing the game since he was 5 years old and dreamt of being a major leaguer. Alcántara believes those two things, along with his skills, have helped him reach the majors.

And that allows him to be ready for anything — even if it seems like a long shot.

“I believe that the work that you put in, God doesn’t hide it,” Alcántara said. “Rather, when you work hard, God gives you the opportunity to be big. That’s why I’m confident. I have my confidence in God and every time I go to the field, I’m going to enjoy what I do.

“I like what I do. I don’t see this as a job but rather a game and enjoy it with friends and win.”