The 29-year old former NFL quarterback must have shown New York something to advance him to a more competitive league.
Tim Tebow seems to have passed his first test as a prospective baseball player. The New York Mets shut down their instructional league activities because Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency due to the path of Hurricane Matthew and at the same time announced that the 29-year old former NFL quarterback is headed to the Arizona Fall League.
Tebow will report to the Scottsdale Scorpions on Sunday and will be managed by current Mets’ first base coach Tom Goodwin once the team’s postseason run is over. He will be the ninth member of the organization to join the roster shared by the Yankees, Phillies, Angels and Giants.
“We want Tim to play in more games to continue developing his skills on the field while facing advanced competition,” said Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, in a release.
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During his stay in Florida, Tebow hit .286 (4-14) with a home run and two walks. His round-tripper came on the first pitch he saw in instructional league play, an opposite field shot. If he is to play somewhere in the organization next spring, he will have to show a lot more against a much better caliber of pitcher in Arizona.
“Working in the Instructional League has been a lot of fun and productive,” said Tebow. “We worked hard and I was able to see a lot of pitches and work on different things. There was great coaching and I tried to improve every day. I plan to use the Fall League as an opportunity to improve. It’s a blessing and a great opportunity.”
The experiment with Tebow is costing the Mets a reported $100,000 while allowing him to still take part in his duties at the SEC Network.
One of the oddities of Tebow playing on a team comprised of very young prospects from various organizations is that he will not be the oldest member of the Scorpions. That honor goes to switch-hitting catcher Eliezer Zambrano, a Venezuelan in the Giants system.