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Tim Tebow to pursue a career in professional baseball

Posted at 7:51 AM, Aug 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-09 07:52:15-04

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN broadcaster Tim Tebow is actively pursuing a career in professional baseball and plans to hold a workout for Major League Baseball teams later this month, according to his agents Jimmy Sexton and Nick Khan.

For almost the past year, Tebow has been training in Arizona and Los Angeles to hone his play as a professional batter and outfielder in a sport he has not played on a full-time basis since he was in high school in 2005.

Tebow was an All-State baseball player in Florida and hit .494 as a junior, helping Nease High School reach the final four of the Florida state playoffs.

"Obviously we support Tim in his pursuit of a baseball career, as we have in all his ventures," said Tebow's football agent, Sexton, who is now working with CAA baseball agent, Brodie Van Wagenen.

"Tim's athletic ability, his work ethic, his leadership and his competitiveness were evident in football and will show in baseball. Knowing Tim's passion and desire, we won't be surprised by anything he accomplishes."

Tebow -- who turns 29 years old on Sunday -- has notified his current employer, ESPN, of his desire to chase a baseball career, but he will continue to fulfill his broadcast obligations to the network.

All 30 Major League Baseball teams will be invited to Tebow's workout at the end of the month, an event he has been preparing for over the past year. Those who have seen Tebow hit have been surprised he picked up the sport so quickly after not playing it since he graduated high school in 2005.

But football coaches had been aware of Tebow's baseball prowess. One of Urban Meyer's first encounters with Tebow was on the baseball field, and college coaches knew of the quarterback's interest and talents in baseball.

Now, with Tebow's football career stalled, he has decided to pursue another one of the sports he excelled at in high school.