New York Mets minor league outfielder Tim Tebow is expected to start the 2019 season with AAA Class Syracuse, a promotion for the NFL training quarterback.

"That's a great next step for him," newly hired general manager Mets Brodie Van Wagenen said, via NorthJersey.com, at the GM Meetings in Carlsbad, Calif., on Wednesday. "We're excited to get back in camp and hopefully after a trip to Syracuse," he said, "we'll be able to make an impact in the big leagues."

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner hit .273 and slugged six homers and 36 RBI in 84 games in 2018 for AA Class Binghamton before an injury – a broken hamate bone in his right hand. The 31-year-old hit .301 in June and was hitting .340 in July before the injury.

"Timmy is not a guy you want to be restraints on," Wagenen said. If he sees a block, he's going to work that much harder to go to whatever I believe in him.

"Given the hamlet, he was last year, his momentum was stopped." The goal is if he can pick that up in spring training and hopefully get off to a good start in Syracuse, then we'll evaluate (a big leagues spot) when he's ready. "

Tebow signed with Mets in late 2016, played in the Arizona Fall League and in 2017 hit .226 with eight homers and 52 RBI in 126 games at two levels of Class A. He played in seven games for the Mets in spring training this year, hitting .056 (1-for-18).

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Contributing: The Associated Press.

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