Christian Hackenberg is taking a page out of Tim Tebow’s playbook by trying his hand at a professional baseball career.
Four years ago, Tebow walked away from football in pursuit of success on the diamond despite not playing baseball full-time since his junior year of high school in 2005. In Aug. 2016, the former Heisman Trophy winner held an open tryout and invited all 30 MLB teams. One month later, Tebow signed with the Mets and has bounced around New York’s minor league affiliates ever since.
Hackenberg is now trying to follow in Tebow’s footsteps as the latest failed Jets quarterback to go after a career in baseball. The former second-round pick was seen throwing pitches and eclipsing 90 miles per hour on the radar gun last week. The 25-year-old hasn’t played baseball since high school, but he’s hoping his strong arm can get the attention of scouts.
“As simple as I can put it, I just want to compete man,” Hackenberg told NBC Philadelphia. “I’ve had my trials and tribulations with the NFL and had success and had that roller coaster ride. At the end of the day, I’m sitting here at 25 and I feel like I still have a lot left in the tank.”
That is former Penn State quarterback @chackenberg1 who is aiming for a pro career in baseball and throwing better than 90 mph. His story tonight @NBCPhiladelphia at 6 and 11. pic.twitter.com/Pt9ENO7RY4
— rob kuestner (@rkuestnernbc10) June 13, 2020
The story of the two former Gang Green quarterbacks would not be complete without a comparison of what Hackenberg and Tebow could do on a baseball field back when they focused on the sport full-time. Which one was the better high school baseball player? Upon review, there is not much of a debate.
In Tebow’s final season of high school baseball, he hit .494 with four home runs, 30 RBI and 10 doubles for Nease High (Ponte Vedre, Fla.). He led his team to an appearance in the Florida state Final Four. He also earned all-state honors for his standout season.
Hackenberg, meanwhile, struggled almost as mightily as he did in the NFL. In his junior year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, Hackenberg went 1-3 with 7.36 ERA. He struck out 33 batters in 26.2 innings pitched, but walked 16 and hit five batters, showing a severe lack of control.
Tebow has managed to hang around in the minors, hitting a .223 with 18 home runs and 107 RBI over 287 minor league games and four levels. He’s made it as far as Triple-A, though many see his presence in the Mets organization as a publicity stunt despite the 32-year-old making some strides as a ballplayer.
Hackenberg’s professional baseball career has yet to go further than a makeshift bullpen mound. That doesn’t mean he is destined for failure on the diamond, but if his high school baseball career is a sign of things to come, Hackenberg is going to struggle to succeed at playing a second sport.
