Tijuana’s Alejandro Kirk, Jonathan Aranda live out childhood dreams

ATLANTA – Growing up in the Otay section of Tijuana, Mexico, a few miles south of the U.S. border, Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk and Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda played for a team named Glu-Glu in Tijuana’s Liga Municipal at 5 years old.

They wore Glu-Glu’s green tops with orange sleeves and white pants. Kirk and Aranda were so young when they first played on the same team, they played in the Division Biberon, which translates to the baby bottle division. When they weren’t at school or playing baseball, they could usually be found together at one or the other’s home.

During countless sleepovers, they discussed playing in the major leagues. They were too young to realize the odds against them, and now they’re American League All-Stars at Truist Park.

Kirk vividly remembers how he and Aranda would spend many hours at his home on Calle Marsella in Tijuana’s Villafontana neighborhood, daring to dream about playing in the majors.

‘Very happy to live this’ 

“We always dreamed about this,” said Kirk, who is at his second All-Star Game. “We dreamed about being here. I’m very happy to live this now as adults.”

Kirk and Aranda are part of a record four Mexico-born players selected to the All-Star Game. They were joined by Seattle Mariners closer Andres Muñoz and Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes, who skipped the Midsummer Classic to attend to a family matter. 

Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena, a naturalized Mexican citizen who was born in Cuba, is the fifth member of Team Mexico picked for the 2025 Midsummer Classic.

“It’s very special,” Jonathan Aranda said. “It fills me with a lot pride to share a clubhouse with (Kirk) and the American League All-Stars because it’s something that as childhood friends we spoke about. To do this now it’s something that is very marvelous.” 

Toros de Tijuana products

For the second year in a row, a pair of Mexican youth teammates are at the All-Star Game. Paredes and Muñoz, who were teammates on a Mexican youth national team at 9 years old, were first-time All-Stars last year in Arlington, Texas.

Moreover, Kirk, Aranda and Arozarena played in the Toros de Tijuana system in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol before they signed with MLB organizations. Arozarena says he is inspired by Kirk and Aranda because he remembers seeing how much they worked as 15-year-old prospects with the Toros.

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Kirk, 26, earned his first All-Star berth in 2022. In that Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium, Kirk drew the honor of catching the ceremonial first pitch from Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela.

With a mariachi band playing and the sellout crowd roaring, Kirk had the best seat to watch the Mexican icon’s ceremonial first pitch. Valenzuela holds the record for most MLB All-Star berths by a native of Mexico with six. 

Fernando Valenzuela legacy

Kirk, Aranda, Muñoz and Paredes are part of Valenzuela’s legacy. Their parents were part of the first generation that Valenzuela began to inspire during his magical 1981 season in which he led the Dodgers to the World Series title while winning the NL Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award.

“He did a lot for our country,” Kirk says of Valenzuela, who died last October. “Well, you can see throughout the big leagues all that he did in this sport and for Mexico.”

Muñoz, 26, has earned consecutive All-Star berths. The native of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 21 saves. He’s only one save away from tying the career-high he set last year with 22 saves. 

“I’m very happy and very pleased that many of us were selected,” Muñoz said of having five Mexican All-Stars this year. “I’m happy that we are a lot, and, God willing, we will be even more.”

Jonathan Aranda, 27, is in his fourth season in the majors, but this is his first year as a regular starter. He has rewarded Rays manager Kevin Cash for his trust this season with 11 home runs and 49 RBIs. 

Proud Mexican from Cuba

Arozarena, 30, is hitting .251 with 17 home runs and 48 RBIs. He’s enjoying his second All-Star berth and first since 2023. The five All-Stars give Mexico plenty of optimism heading into the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Arozarena helped Mexico reach the WBC semifinals for the first time in 2023. He became a cult figure in Mexico during that WBC.

“I’m Mexican like the ones born there,” said Arozarena. “I’m a Cuban by birth, but I feel proud to be able to represent Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.”

The feeling was mutual, especially for the childhood friends from Tijuana, which is across the border from San Diego, Calif. 

“We grew up playing together on the same team,” Jonathan Aranda says of Kirk. “Our families were always socializing. We would go to parties together. I would sleep at his house, and he would sleep at mine. We spent a lot of time together.”

On Tuesday night, they’ll add another memory together as AL All-Stars.