No one expected former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to crack the New York Mets roster out of spring training this season, and the Mets confirmed Tuesday that it won’t be happening.
The Mets made a series of roster cuts on Tuesday. One of those moves reassigned Tebow to minor league camp, according to Newsday.
The Mets announced the move following their spring training bout with the Houston Astros. In it, he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.
Tebow had a poor spring this year, collecting one hit in 18 at-bats. One reason he struggled this spring is that he ran into a sprinkler in the outfield while training in February. Due to this injury, he was only able to DH in spring training action.
He spent last year with two Class A Mets affiliates. In total, he hit .226 with eight home runs and a .656 OPS in 126 games. Prior to the season, he also competed in big league spring training but had better results in 2017. That time, he collected four hits in 27 at-bats (.148 batting average).
It is unclear which level Tebow will start this season at, but he finished last year with the high-A St. Lucie Mets.
Tebow is set to turn 31 this August and only in his second year as a pro ballplayer. However, seeing him in the big leagues one day is realistic. Last month, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson told reporters there is a “modest expectation” that Tebow will play for the Mets one day.
Positive Impact
Regardless of how Tebow performs, he will have a positive impact on whichever minor league teams he plays for this season. According to SNY, the Columbia Fireflies saw their ticket sales increase by about 40 percent when Tebow was with them last season. If he played for the Mets at some point this season, he would likely raise their ticket sales as well. Last year, the Mets ranked 14th in ticket sales among 30 MLB teams, attracting 30,757 fans per game.
Before making a career in baseball, Tebow spent three seasons as an NFL quarterback with the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. Still, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner is best-known for his college football career and devout Christian faith.
