Mets sign Tim Tebow to minor league contract

The New York Mets have signed former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow to a minor league contract. The team says he will head to the Instructional League in Florida. He is set to report on Sept. 18th.

Tebow will get a $100,000 signing bonus, according to a report by the Associated Press.

"While I and the organization are mindful of the novel nature of this situation, this decision was strictly driven by baseball," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said during a conference call. "This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued with the potential Tim has."

Tebow, 29, a former NFL quarterback, worked out for scouts last week in California. There were representatives from about 20 major league teams watching him run, catch and throw at a Los Angeles ball park. He also took batting practice. One of his hits reportedly went over the stadium scoreboard and was estimated to have traveled 400 feet.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner last played regular season professional football with the NY Jets in 2012. He played preseason football for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 but was cut before the regular season started.

Tebow hasn't played organized baseball since his junior year in high school at Nease high Schol in Ponte Vedra, Florida. He had already received a contract offer from an independent league team in Illinois.