Tim Tebow to Play for Team Philippines in World Baseball Classic Qualifiers
Tim Tebow will compete for Team Philippines in the upcoming World Baseball Classic qualifiers, the tournament announced Wednesday.
The 32-year-old outfielder was born in Makati City, Philippines, where his parents were Baptist missionaries. The Tebow family moved to Jacksonville, Fla. when he was 3 years old.
After an abrupt end to his NFL career, Tebow signed with the New York Mets as a minor league free agent in September 2016. He has participated in every major league camp since then, but has yet to appear with the big league club during the regular season.
On Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers, he hit his first home run in four years' worth of major league spring training appearances.
Tebow has moved up the organizational ranks throughout his brief minor league career, making the 2018 Eastern League All-Star team while playing with the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies. He spent last season with the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, but hit just .164 with four home runs. His 2019 season was cut short last season after he suffered a deep laceration on his left hand.
Team Philippines is taking part in an upcoming double-elimination qualifying tournament between March 12-25 in Tucson, Az. Four teams will have the chance to qualify for the main draw.
The Philippines are in the second qualifier and will compete against the Czech Republic, Great Britain, New Zealand and Spain. The Philippines face off against the Czech Republic in the opening round of the tournament on March 20.
Team USA won the 2017 tournament and is an automatic qualifier in the field.
