Tim Tebow starting season with Mets' Double-A team

Tim Tebow will start the season with theNew York Mets' Double-A affiliate in Binghamton, the team announced Wednesday.

Tebow, who is entering his second season in the Mets organization, said in a statement that he is "excited" about the assignment to Binghamton.

"I'm excited to take the next step in my baseball career by playing for the Rumble Ponies," he said. "I look forward to getting to play in front of the Binghamton fans and around the Eastern League."

Tebow, 30, split last season between two levels of Class A, batting .226 with eight home runs and 52 RBIs in 126 games. The 2007 Heisman Trophy went 1-for-18 with 11 strikeouts in seven games with the Mets' major league club in spring training.

Early in spring training, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said he thought Tebow would make it to the majors one day.