Rachel Balkovec barely?had time to?soak it all in?before a line drive from Seattle Mariners top prospect Jarred?Kelenic?bounced off her leg and?brought everything back to reality.?

In that?top-of-the-first-inning?moment Balkovec was not a trailblazer?or a history maker, she was a first-base coach motioning to the player standing in the batter's box that everything was OK.??

"I had to play it off, let¡¯s be honest,¡± the first female coach in Futures Game history?joked to?the MLB Network broadcast later in the game.?¡°I think I can go on record saying I¡¯m the first woman to be absolutely smoked in the Futures Game.?It¡¯s a big moment in my career and I¡¯m going to remember it forever.¡±

Just like?the players on the field?the 34-year-old Balkovec is?trying to move up the ladder toward the Major Leagues,?working?with?the game¡¯s rising stars on the?diamond?and?alongside?past legends in the dugout.?It¡¯s a moment that happened suddenly but was actually years in the making.?

COVID-19 related circumstances?pushed?Balkovec¡¯s?2020?season with the Yankees organization?into a winter with the Sydney Blue Sox in the Australian Baseball League?as Minor League games?were canceled across the country.?She returned stateside?this season and was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Yankees, tasked?with?assisting?Yankees 18-year-old top prospect Jasson Dominguez as he?begins his journey through the Bombers¡¯ farm system.?

¡°He¡¯s a special baseball talent,¡± Balkovec added. ¡°But I think the real story and the real thing that people don¡¯t know about him is that he¡¯s an incredible person?with an incredible work ethic ... everyone knows he¡¯s a special talent on the field but I?think (everything) off the field makes him the most unique."

Balkovec¡¯s?array of experience?working with young talent across the globe?got the attention of Futures Game manager?LaTroy Hawkins, who helmed the?American League team?and helped make Sunday¡¯s?momentous?occasion possible.?

¡°He basically mentioned that he wanted a diverse staff,¡± Balkovec?told Yankees beat writer Bryan Hoch earlier this month. ¡°He saw that I went to Australia and some things that I put out there on my accounts. We didn¡¯t know each other previously, but when we got on the phone, it was kind of like: ¡®Nice to finally meet you!¡¯¡±?

Balkovec and the American League All-Stars fell to the National League?by an 8-3 final score, with Dominguez going 0-for-3 at the plate.?The?National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum collected?Balkovec¡¯s?game-worn?cap for archiving and display in Cooperstown.