Tim Tebow Offered Contract By Independent Team
Tim Tebow received mixed reviews from scouts in his baseball showcase, but has received a contract offer from an independent league team in Connecticut.
After an overwhelmingly mediocre tryout in front of more than 40 major league scouts, Tim Tebow has a long way ahead of him if he hopes to reach the major leagues.
While he played well enough to at least earn a minor league contract, Tebow didn’t show enough to immediately earn a contract offer from a major league team. But his game was good enough for one team, just without the allure of the New York Yankees or Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Bridgeport Bluefish of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball extended an offer to Tebow to join the team immediately. Bluefish General Manager Jamie Toole said in a statement that his team is all about opportunity, and are excited about the possibility of adding Tebow.
“The Bluefish welcome Tim with open arms,” Toole said. “The Atlantic League is all about giving players opportunity, and we think Bridgeport would be a great place for him to begin his professional baseball career.”
Although Tebow struggled defensively, his speed was a clear plus and his raw power has the potential to translate to game situations. Tebow hit five home runs in batting practice, including a 430-ft homer.
The Bluefish have pulled out all the stop in their attempt to court Tebow, as they have a mock jersey ready.
Major League scouts had very mixed reviews on Tebow’s performance. Josh Peter of USA Today Sports noted that one American League scout called the showcase a “waste of time”, while a National League scout said Tebow’s performance was better than many anticipated.
One scout told Dayn Perry of CBS Sports that Tebow’s power will likely earn him some sort of contract in the minors.
What they anticipated, however, is a different story.
Tebow hasn’t played organized baseball since his junior year of high school. More than 11 years later, Tebow is now 29 and has been out of professional sports since 2015.
However, he recently signed an apparel deal with Adidas and has a clear timeline for his baseball career set out. Tebow would like to sign a contract soon, in hopes of joining a team’s instructional league this fall.
representative says they're hoping that Tim Tebow will sign soon enough to get into instructional league, which is usually mid-October
— Taylor Blake Ward (@TaylorBlakeWard) August 30, 2016
Tebow’s work ethic and character place him as one of the most respected athletes in the locker room, er clubhouse, so his potential influence over young players could be enough to give him a shot.
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It’s unlikely Tebow would sign with Bridgeport, but the Connecticut-based team at least put forth a solid effort.