Tim Tebow is moving up the baseball ranks.
Tim Tebow is moving up the baseball ranks.
The New York Mets announced that Tebow, former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, is getting promoted from the Columbia Fireflies to the organization’s Advanced Class-A baseball team, the St. Lucie Mets. The team plays in the Florida State League.
“It’s not like he’s tearing up the league, but at the same time all of the indications are positive in terms of various things we look at, chase rates and exit velocity, ” Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. “The bottom line is the average isn’t there, but he’s improving.”
It’s still a long way to go until Tebow reaches the majors. He’s hitting.222 with three home runs and 23 RBIs.
“Every time I thought about baseball, I got really excited. You can’t manufacture that, ” Tebow said in April when the Fireflies competed against the Rome Braves. “It’s just fun competing everyday, and you have a game and they’re keeping score and they matter.”
Tebow signed with the Mets last September and played in the Florida Instructional League and Arizona Fall League before joining the Fireflies.
He also recently extended his contract with ESPN to continue his work as a college football analyst for the networks. But he’s serious about baseball. Tebow is focusing on the process. He said his swing is improving; he’s finding his timing and rhythm. He’s getting used to playing every day and making adjustments game in and game out, a radical change from football.
But he’s also enjoying the fans, who he always takes time to visit, take pictures with and sign autographs.
“I’ve always wanted to be someone who would transcend a sport I’m playing. If all you do is get a base hit, strikeout, score a touchdown, throw an interception, it’s just a game. But if you can do more than that with the platform you’re given, that’s something I strive to do.”
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