Tim Tebow Promoted to Class-A Minor League St. Lucie Mets

The New York Mets are promoting Tim Tebow to the St. Lucie Mets, their High-A affiliate, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported Sunday.

Tebow has spent the season with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies, and he has a .222/.311/.340 slash line in 241 plate appearances. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner has also hit three home runs and driven in 22 runs.

Tebow responded to critics who said he isn't deserving of the promotion, via FOX Sports MLB:

The New York Post's Mike Puma first reported in May the Mets were considering moving Tebow up a level in their minor league system. Puma wrote the promotion likely wouldn't come until after the All-Star Game, though.

CBSSports.com's Mike Axisa wrote the Mets had a vested interest in moving Tebow to St. Lucie regardless of his performance at the plate. As the owners of the St. Lucie Mets, the Mets organization would collect a share of any financial boost created by Tebow's presence. The Mets don't own the Fireflies, so that hasn't been the case so far.

In May, ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported Fireflies attendance was up 30 percent in 2017 compared to last year, and Baseball America's J.J. Cooper calculated Tebow's presence was worth an additional $44,200 a game in terms of merchandise and ticket revenue.