Former Heisman Trophy victor and National Football League quarterback Tim Tebow’s career change to baseball moved forward Thursday, when he was signed by the New York Mets.
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NY opted to have Tebow begin his professional baseball career in the Instructional League, but he might not play for long with the season coming to an end. Tebow hasn’t played organized baseball since his junior year of high school, but he is anxious to pursue this dream.
The Mets’ offer wasn’t the first baseball deal that was handed to Tebow.
The Mets were among a handful of clubs expressing interest in Tebow, including the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves, who confirmed to USA TODAY Sports they viewed him as a legitimate prospect.
Having flopped with the New York Jets, Tim Tebow will try to revive his career as an outfielder with the Mets.
The instructional league is a long way from the majors, and Tebow, who is 29 years old and hasn’t played competitive baseball since 2005, is a long way from prospecthood.
Alderson denied the Mets’ interest was merely for publicity, although he noted on several occasions the longshot nature of Tebow’s bid, and that it was far more likely the club will benefit intangibly, with their young players learning about elite competition from a former Heisman Trophy victor.
“We are extremely intrigued with the potential Tim has”, Alderson said.
The instructional league runs from September to October and ESPN reported on Wednesday that the Mets GM Sandy Alderson had recommended to the team’s owners that they sign Tebow. Tebow reportedly showed decent power during his batting practice.
The explanations are boring, but Tebow would have been a worthwhile addition to any major league organization, even if he never makes it to the game’s top level.
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It’s a sport that isn’t brand new to Tebow. While former basketball star Michael Jordan was able to hit in the low-.200s as a baseball player for Double-A Birmingham, Tebow may never get that that far.
