Tebow in the Minors? It could happen

Tim Tebow's quest to get back on the field isn't new, but this summer, the former Heisman Trophy winner is taking things in a different direction.

The former NFL quarterback plans to workout for all 30 Major League teams this month in hopes of jump-starting his career in baseball, according to MLB.com.

Tebow, who last played in the NFL in 2012 with the New York Jets, had attended training camps with New England and Philadelphia but failed to earn a roster spot in recent years. He's worked for ESPN as a college football analyst and also co-hosted a show on the SEC Network.

"I spent time w @TimTebow in the cages recently, he's a NATURAL," said former Major League slugger Gary Sheffield on Twitter. "I absolutely believe in his ability to play in the bigs. Tim has IT."

The agency representing Tebow said on Tuesday that the latest news isn't a "publicity stunt."

"This may sound like a publicity stunt, but nothing could be further from the truth," said Brodie Van Wagenen, a baseball agent with CAA Sports, in a statement through Tebow's football agent, Jimmy Sexton. "I have seen Tim's workouts, and people inside and outside the industry -- scouts, executives, players and fans -- will be impressed by his talent."

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

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Tebow, who turns 29 on Sunday, will continue to work on college football broadcasts for ESPN as he pursues a baseball contract.

The 2010 first-round NFL Draft pick has a history in baseball, playing the sport in high school. He hasn't played since 2005, his junior year at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, when the Angels reportedly looked into drafting him.

According to MLB.com, Tebow possessed raw power in high school and was "touted as a five-tool player." He hit .494 with four homers and helped Nease to the state playoffs in his junior season before leaving high school a year early to play football at the University of Florida. That decision paid off, with the quarterback leading Florida to a pair of national championships. He won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore in 2007 and then became one of the biggest story lines in the NFL when he led the Denver Broncos to the playoffs.

"I am beyond impressed with Tim's athleticism and swing, and it goes without saying that he has shown a high level of discipline and strong work ethic," former Major League catcher Chad Moeller said in a statement, according to ESPN. "I see bat speed and power and real baseball talent. I truly believe Tim has the skill set and potential to achieve his goal of playing in the Major Leagues, and based on what I have seen over the past two months, it could happen relatively quickly."

The potential road for Tebow would involve a Major League team offering him a contract, most likely a Minor League deal, and then letting him develop his raw tools in the Minors. At 29, he would be among the oldest players at the lower levels of the Minor Leagues.

One Minor League team has already jumped on the Tebow wave with a promotion aimed at the popular QB. The Fort Myers Miracle are holding a "What Would Tim Tebow Do?" night on Aug. 11, which they've described as "a special Tebow-inspired night at Hammond Stadium." The promotion includes a job fair and a throwing contest that aims to best Tebow's career completion rate in the NFL. Fans wearing a Tebow football jersey or a suit -- a nod to his ESPN desk job -- can watch the game for free, too.

And Tebow wouldn't be the first high-profile athlete to give baseball a shot. Michael Jordan briefly ended his historic NBA career to play in the Minors with the White Sox in 1994. The Chicago Bulls superstar suited up for Double-A Birmingham that season and hit .202 with three homers and 51 RBIs in 127 games. More recently, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson played in 93 games for the Rockies in the Minors from 2010-11 before moving to the NFL.