51s ready for Tim Tebow if New York Mets send him to Las Vegas

Could Tim Tebow be playing at Cashman Field next season?

The chances are slim, and it’s certainly too early to make that assumption, but the New York Mets did sign the former NFL quarterback to a minor league deal Thursday.

Tebow, 29, will take part in the team’s instructional league this month and next in Port St. Lucie, Florida, along with some of the team’s younger prospects. Should he succeed and still be with the organization next season, 51s manager Wally Backman said he could possibly wind up in Las Vegas.

While Backman reiterated it wasn’t his decision, he said it was his assumption, partially because of his age, that Tebow might get a look at Triple A.

“He needs to face serious competition so we can truly evaluate him to see if in a short period of time, if he can help the major league club,” Backman said.

Tebow, a standout college football player at Florida, went on to have a career in the NFL playing for the Denver Broncos (2010, 2011) and New York Jets (2012) and participating in preseason workouts with the New England Patriots (2013) and Philadelphia Eagles (2015).

Because he was pursuing his football career, Tebow hasn’t played competitive baseball since he was a junior in high school in 2005. That year, he hit .448 and was named All-First Coast by a Florida newspaper.

“I know this is a tough game,” Tebow said on a conference call with reporters. “But I’m looking forward to putting in the work, and I felt like this was the best fit.”

Tebow started training three months ago and worked out for almost every major league team in late August in Los Angeles. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said on the conference call that signing Tebow was a “classic player-development opportunity” for the organization.

“While I and the organization, I think, are mindful of the novel nature of the situation, this decision was strictly driven by baseball,” Alderson said. “This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued with the potential that Tim has.”

Backman said Tebow probably slots best in right field, unsurprisingly noting his strong throwing arm and speed. Tebow also flashed his power at his recent showcase.

“I’ve been told he’s got big-time power,” Backman said. “We’ll have to see. I’ve never really seen him play, but the fact that he’s an athlete gives him a chance, I think. He’s determined. That’s what I’ve heard.”

If Tebow does wind up at Triple A and Backman is back, the former quarterback would get no preferential treatment and would have to earn his playing time.

“It’s going to be tough. I don’t know the individual other than what I’ve read about him, but I’ve been told that he’s very determined to try to succeed,” Backman said. “He’s a New York Met. I’ll do everything I can to help him.”

While Tebow might be fighting an uphill battle, the newest member of the organization will get his opportunity. If he happens to wind up in Las Vegas, that’s certainly something the 51s would welcome, with team president Don Logan noting the fans would love it and that it would raise the team’s profile.

“I know the Mets wouldn’t allow him to get here unless he was capable of competing at this level,” Logan said. “It would be fun to have a guy that’s that high profile.”

Betsy Helfand can be reached at bhelfand@reviewjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @BetsyHelfand