Blue Jays reportedly interested in Tebow, who signed with Mets

MLB on Fox Reporter Ken Rosenthal tweeted that the Toronto Blue Jays were one of a few teams with reported interest in former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.

Update, 8:00 a.m. ET  –  Tim Tebow has signed with the New York Mets and will play in their Instructional League. On Wednesday night, the following was reported:

Tebow Watch continues this week as a few MLB teams are in the process of deciding whether the ex-NFLer is worth a look. The former Denver Bronco and his agents set up a showcase on August 30th and it was reasonably well attended, with 28 of the 30 teams represented with scouts present.

It reportedly went pretty well, and Tebow impressed enough teams that it seems inevitable that he’ll get a contract of some sort. And apparently, the Blue Jays are among as many as eight interested teams.

It may be a long shot given that Tebow is now 29 and hasn’t played organized baseball since his Junior year of high school (!). However, he has always been an impressive athlete and it’s not surprising that he was able to impress in the showcase.

The showcase consisted of a 60-yard dash where Tebow clocked a time of 6.65-seconds. Given that he was a run-first quarterback, this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

He also batted against former MLB pitchers David Aardsma and Chad Smith, and finished the showcase with a line of 8-for-19 including two doubles and three strikeouts. Nothing jaw-dropping, but certainly enough to pique the interest of somebody.

The former Heisman winner reportedly showed an “average” ability in the outfield, and mostly impressed scouts with his power potential. Multiple reports are floating around, but the general feeling is he could be worth a look as a corner outfielder, ideally in left, and may hit for enough power to justify a roster spot in a best-case scenario.

At least one former MLB player would like to see what Tebow can do in the power department:

All jokes aside, Tebow could potentially add something to an MLB organization. Given what we know about his character, he should come to the clubhouse with a humble, hardworking attitude every day. He’s a great athlete, and has a legacy as a tireless worker, so it’s possible he can close the gap on his minor league competition sooner than later.

On the flip side, there will be always be a bit of a media circus around him (in some cases that’s great for the promotion business), he’s 29, and hasn’t played baseball in 12 years. He’s mentioned his passion for the game in press conferences, but the reality is he’s got a lot of work to put in, and not a lot of time to do it.

This is likely one to file in the “what have we got to lose?” pile, and that’s likely how many teams are looking at the former College Football star. It’s unlikely that Tebow reaches the MLB any time soon, if ever, but there’s little doubt he’ll increase the attendance in a Single-A or Double-A park sometime in 2017. Like it or not, there’s value in him for every marketing department, so as long as he’s not laughable, he’ll find a job.

Next: Toronto Blue Jays: In Bautista We Trust?

The Blue Jays reportedly are one of the teams considering giving him that opportunity, but with eight more or clubs interested, it seems like a long shot at best.