Mets promote Tim Tebow to Advanced A League

— -- The New York Mets are promoting Tim Tebow from low-A ball to St. Lucie of the Advanced A League.

He was batting .222 with three home runs, 23 RBIs, a .311 on-base percentage and a .340 slugging percentage with 69 strikeouts and 23 walks in 212 at-bats for the Columbia Fireflies --?numbers that usually don't lead to a promotion.

"For me, it's not something I have to answer," Tebow said. "There's a lot smarter, wiser people than me that make those decisions. I just try and show up and play hard every day."

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson announced the move prior to the major league club's game in San Francisco.

"It's not like he's tearing up the league, but at the same time all of the indications are positive in terms of various things we look at -- chase rates and exit velocity," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said. "The bottom line is the average isn't there, but he's improving."

"Clearly, it's a step up," Alderson said. "I certainly think he can handle it."

Tebow is happy to be headed back to the Sunshine State, where he still has family, friends and many, many supporters in Gator colors.

"I obviously love Florida so this is nice," Tebow said. "But the goal and focus is improving as a baseball player."

Tebow certainly looked comfortable in the Fireflies' clubhouse, despite being a decade older than several of his teammates.

"We've said he's just one of 25 guys," Columbia president John Katz said. "At the end of the day, he really is. He wants to succeed. He puts in the work and hopefully, he'll have continued success at a higher level."

That's Alderson's wish, too, as Tebow continues a journey that he hopes ends at Citi Field in New York.

"I wouldn't say he has excelled" at Columbia, Alderson said. "But at the same time, what he's done there -- given all the circumstances -- justified the promotion."

Tebow, 29, signed with the Mets in September and spent time in the Florida Instructional League and the Arizona Fall League.

He won the Heisman Trophy with the Florida Gators and helped the team win two national championships. He played professionally for the Denver Broncos from 2010 to '11, leading them to a playoff overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011, before joining the New York Jets?in 2012.?

Tebow spent time in training camps with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 and 2015, respectively, but he never played in the regular season for those teams.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.