Tim Tebow Gets Offer to Play Winter Baseball in Venezuela

Tim Tebow was offered a contract to play winter baseball in Venezuela the day before the former NFL quarterback and college football Heisman Trophy winner put his hardball skills on display in Southern California for Major League scouts.

Tebow, 29, received the offer before his private tryout in front of scouts from most of the Major League teams on Tuesday, said Yahoo Sports. Venezuelan Professional Baseball League team Aguilas del Zulia sent a contract to Tebow's representative at CAA on Monday.

"He's a great talent," Aguilas general manager Luis Amaro told Yahoo Sports. "He's an athlete. He's won the Heisman. He's won two national championships. I know baseball is a hard game, but he'll either adjust and show he's ready to play pro ball or not. I think it's low risk, high reward for Zulia."

Tebow performed in front of the scouts at the University of Southern California baseball field, said The New York Times, and got mixed reviews.

"For nearly two hours, Tebow ran, threw, caught and hit under a searing sun and the scrutiny of talent evaluators from nearly every major league organization," said Times writer Billy Witz.

"… He belted several batting-practice fastballs high off the Dedeaux Field scoreboard and into the thicket of trees beyond the right-field wall. He also ran fairly well, but his fielding and his ability to hit against former professional pitchers trying to get him out looked somewhat suspect."

Tebow's agent, Brodie Van Wagenen, told the Times that Tebow talked with "five or six" teams after the workout. The plan is to get him signed to play in one of the winter leagues, which also could land the former Denver Bronco in the Arizona Fall League or in the Dominican Republic, as well as Venezuela, said Van Wagenen.

"There's 100 percent nerves, no doubt about it," Tebow said of the private workout. "Because when you're at the combine or the pro day at the end of your college football career, you have your body of work after four years. So it's not just that one day. Here, you might have seen me when I was 17, but you haven't seen me since. A lot goes into it — you better show something."

Amaro told Yahoo Sports he hopes Tebow decides to pay in Venezuela, where he would be paid upwards of $20,000 over the winter.

"I hope he takes it," Amaro said. "I think it'd be a lot of fun to watch. I think it would be great for the league to see him in a Zulia uniform."

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