Tim Tebow did not get a first class flight to major league baseball as some complained, he’ll have to work his way up and it won’t be easy. Eight days after working out in front of 28 MLB teams, Tebow will sign a minor league deal with the New York Mets, the team announced on Thursday.
Tebow will participate in the organization’s instructional league this month.
He last played baseball in 2004, his junior year of high school in Florida. He was an accomplished baseball player before turning his sights to football, and went on to win two national titles and a Heisman Trophy at the University of Florida.
Tebow was a polarizing figure in the NFL, spending two seasons with the Denver Broncos and one with the New York Jets before his NFL career was pretty much over in 2012. He announced that he wanted to switch back to baseball last month, and faced mixed reviews after his workout.
Now that he has signed a minor league deal, he faces a daunting and unlikely climb to the major leagues. Tebow, at 6-3 and 260 pounds, showed impressive batting practice power, but struggled against former major league pitchers in live hitting. Scouts were satisfied with his slightly above average speed, less so with a weak outfield arm.
Tebow will attempt to make the major leagues as a corner outfielder.
