Same number, new sport: Tebow works out at Mets camp

Tim Tebow stretches out before batting practice at the New York Mets’ complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow, right, bats as Patrick Mazeika (11) waits his turn at the New York Mets’ complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Tim Tebow catches a ball at the fence during a drill at the New York Mets’ complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Tim Tebow puts on his batting helmet before practice at the New York Mets’ complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Fans of Tim Tebow catch a glimpse of him at the New York Mets’ complex, Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback got to the complex early Monday, and started his first workout as part of their instructional league team. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

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By Tim Reynolds (AP Sports Writer)

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Tim Tebow arrived at the New York Mets’ minor-league clubhouse Monday morning, finding an orange-and-blue jersey with No. 15 on the back swaying in his locker.

He was asked if that worked.

“Heck, yeah,” Tebow replied.

It’s the same color scheme he wore as a national champion and Heisman Trophy winner at Florida, and the same number he wore with the Gators and throughout his less-than-storied years as an NFL quarterback.

And now he’s wearing it again as he tries to find a place in baseball, going through his first workout with the Mets’ instructional- league squad Monday.

He showed some power, hitting three balls in batting practice off the chain-link fence in right-center — better than just about everyone else did.

He showed some rust, popping up a half-dozen pitches in that same BP session. And he showed a need for work, after one of his throws sailed well over someone’s head and nearly onto an adjacent field during a simple game of catch.

“It was a lot of fun,” Tebow said. “It was great. It was great to be on a team. It was great to just go through a warm-up and go through drills, just have fun, take BP, get to know all the guys, try to remember as many names as possible.”

Predictably, it was also a circus atmosphere.

Hundreds of fans — many wearing Tebow jerseys, some even wearing now-on-sale Mets shirts with Tebow’s name — showed up; a worker at the Mets’ complex said instructional league workouts last year drew maybe a few dozen people, tops.

A news helicopter circled over the field where Tebow worked for more than an hour. He got a huge cheer from fans for executing his first official drill, one where he learned how to take a lead off first base.

“Never been here before,” said Sarah Dale, a waitress who works an overnight shift and now says she’ll be a Mets fan. “I’m here for Tim Tebow. ... He’s a people person. Everyone loves him.”

He’s one of 58 players on the Mets’ instructional- league roster, and at 29 he’s also four years older than any other invitee. Two of the players on the roster won’t even turn 18 until next year.

The Mets say Tebow will be part of daily workouts through Thursday. He will be excused Friday and Saturday for his college football analyst duties with the SEC Network, and the instructional roster has a day off Sunday.