Tim Tebow won't open the season with the Mets, but he'll begin 2019 just a step away from the majors.
The Heisman-winning quarterback was one of eight players cut from New York's spring training camp Tuesday morning and is slated to open his third full season of professional baseball with Triple-A Syracuse.
We've optioned Paul Sewald and Jacob Rhame to minor league camp and re-assigned Arquimedes Caminero, Andrés Giménez, Dilson Herrera, Rymer Liriano, Ali Sánchez and Tim Tebow to minor league camp. #Mets
— New York Mets (@Mets) March 12, 2019
Tebow took the demotion in stride, telling reporters he was grateful for the time he had to learn from more experienced players and coaches during his time in big-league camp. Overall, he said it's a "night and day" difference from last spring, which saw him sprain his ankle early in camp when he stepped on a sprinkler head while running in the outfield.
"Last year just at the start was so disappointing, Day 1 getting injured, and then it's like an uphill battle the whole time, just very frustrating," he said, via MLB.com. "This year I feel like it's a very different atmosphere, just being able to learn and work and improve, and also show that as well."
"Every day," Tim Tebow says, "I'm all in on doing this."
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 12, 2019
Here's Tebow on his reassignment to Mets minor league camp: pic.twitter.com/MUYhzkZXdm
Tebow went 4 for 15 (.267) in Grapefruit League action as he looks to build on a decent season at Double-A Binghamton last year. The 31-year-old slashed .273/.336/.399 with six home runs in 84 games, improving his OPS by nearly 80 points from his first minor league campaign before his season ended in late July with a broken bone in his hand.
While Tebow's chances of becoming an impact player in the majors remain slim, his faith in the quest hasn't wavered.
"Every day, I'm all-in on pursuing this," he said. "You've been around here, you've seen that. That's just my goal and we're going to give it as good a shot as we can."
