FILE — Tim Tebow #15 of the New York Mets in action against the Atlanta Braves during the Grapefruit League spring training game at First Data Field on February 23, 2019 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
New York Mets president Sandy Alderson said he expects Tim Tebow to return to the organization in 2021.
Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner who played three seasons in the NFL, signed with the Mets in 2016 but has yet to play in the big leagues. He was invited to spring training earlier this year but was not in the Mets’ 60-man player pool this season.
“So I talked to Tim Saturday, in between Florida football and some other SEC obligations,” Alderson told the New York Post. “He’s anxious to come back. And I told Tim, ‘Look, why would you want to end your quest based on a COVID-related reason? You didn’t get a chance to perform this year.’ He was hurt a little bit the previous year. So I think Tim is committed to coming back. And I think we’re committed to giving him an opportunity to do that and we’ll see where it goes.”
Alderson, named team president earlier this month by new owner Steve Cohen, was the team’s general manager when Tebow, an outfielder, first signed with the club.
During his time with the organization, Tebow has hit .223 with 18 home runs and 107 RBIs in 287 games. He has struck out in more than one third of his official at-bats.
Tebow, now 33, advanced to Triple-A Syracuse in 2019 and appeared in 77 games before a hand injury ended his season. In 239 at-bats, he had four homers and 19 RBIs with 20 walks but struck out 98 times.
“It’s not something that I want to do forever … because there’s a lot of other things that are in my heart that I want to pursue,” Tebow told MLB.com recently. “But it is something that is still in my heart today.”
Alderson said he’s willing to keep Tebow in the organization a bit longer.
“This is not a quest without end,” Alderson told the Post. “At some point it will culminate. But I think that will be at a time when Tim and the organization come to some agreement about where he is and what his potential is. But I didn’t want him to go out based on some COVID-related interruption.”