Tim Tebow Reports to Mets Spring Training, Says He Hopes to Play at MLB Level

Tim Tebow reported to the New York Mets' spring training camp Monday and remains optimistic his dream of playing in MLB can be achieved.

"I don't have to give my chances," Tebow said in a press conference of playing for the Mets at the big league level. "That's my ultimate goal. But I've had so much fun training, pursuing it. I enjoy the process, and hopefully I'll have a chance to [play in the major leagues] someday."

The Mets didn't list Tebow on the bench for Monday's game against the Houston Astros, and Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported he's stationed in the team's minor league clubhouse.

"I salute him for what he's trying to do," Mets manager Terry Collins told reporters. "It's not going to be easy. It's going to be very difficult. But he's a tremendous competitor. I know he's a winner. That's going to mean a lot in that big clubhouse full of young kids over there."

USA Today's Steve Gardner shared a clip of the former Heisman Trophy winner at batting practice:

The New York Post's Ken Davidoff showed Tebow remains a selling point for the Mets despite being in the minor league camp:

The 29-year-old is entering his first full year of professional baseball after the Mets signed him last September. He played in 19 games with the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League, finishing with a .194/.296/.242 slash line and two runs batted in. He struck out 20 times in 62 at-bats.

An anonymous American League scout called Tebow's AFL performance "awful," and a scout from the National League said he "stinks," according to the New York Post's Dan Martin.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said in December the Mets plan for Tebow to continue working out of the minor league camp before receiving an assignment with one of the team's minor league affiliates to start the 2017 season, per ESPN.com's Adam Rubin.