Major League Baseball

Tim Tebow promoted to high A-ball by the Mets

Published Jun. 26, 2017 5:32 a.m. ET

Barry Werner

Tim Tebow is moving up -- not to the big time -- but to the state where he performed his greatest heroics.

Despite a .222 batting average, the New York Mets are promoting the former Heisman Trophy winner from Florida and NFL first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos.

Tebow is leaving the Columbia Fireflies and will rise to Class A St. Lucie, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson announced Sunday.

In addition to his average, Tebow has three homers and 23 RBI in 63 games.

"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," Alderson said. "The bottom line is the average isn't there, but he's improving."

Tebow, 29, won the Heisman Trophy and led the Gators to two national championships as a college star.

His NFL career was unremarkable, leading him to try baseball.