The New York Mets announced some names that would be cut from spring training camp on Friday. Tim Tebow was perhaps the highest-profile player among those who won’t stick with the group for now.
Besides Tebow, who will soon represent the Philippines in the preliminary stage of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) players such as left-handers Thomas Szapucki (the Mets’ No. 7 prospect according to MLB Pipeline) and Stephen Gonsalves, right-handers Franklyn Kilome (No. 12 prospect), Jordan Humphreys (No. 14 prospect), Matt Blackham, Stephen Nogosek, Nick Rumbelow and Francisco RÃos, and catchers Austin Bossart and David RodrÃguez were cut.
Tebow didn’t have a particularly good spring training with the Mets this time around, but he will have a good memory of it, as he hit a home run. Overall, he went 2-for-13 in 10 games, for a batting average of .154. He had four walks and six strikeouts.
That’s actually right in line with his career spring training production. In four big-league camps, the outfielder has gone 11-for-73 (.151) with one extra-base hit.
A big-league dream for the Mets’ outfielder
Tebow has said in interviews that he dreams of making the big leagues with the New York Mets someday. He has a lot of work to do, though: last season with Triple-A Syracuse, he hit .163/.240/.255 with 10 doubles, four homers and a putrid .495 OPS in 77 games.
Humphreys appeared on two spring training games in 2020. He conceded a run and two hits in a couple of frames, with a pair of strikeouts to his name.
Meanwhile Kilome, one of the Mets’ top 30 prospects also appeared in a couple of games with the Mets this spring. He gave up two runs on three hits with two punchouts in two innings of work.
For guys like Humphreys and Kilome, the experience of training and working with big leaguers can prove to be very beneficial for their respective careers.