Tebow-time: 3 guesses at what happens next

Tim Tebow achieved the first step in making it to the majors - he signed his first professional baseball contract.

The former NFL quarterback showcased his skills in front of 42 scouts a week ago, and now with the New York Mets taking a chance on him, the legwork starts.

Related: Mets, Tebow agree to minor-league deal

Here's three guesses at what could happen next in Tebow's quest for baseball stardom:

1: He fails, gets released

So this is the one that most people are expecting. Tebow hasn't played organized baseball since high school, but that's all about to change. As per signing with the Mets, Tebow will be assigned to instructional league on Sept. 18, and depending on how he does, he might have a chance at playing Winter League before spring training. If he can't show any signs of hitting as a minor leaguer, the Mets will likely have no choice but to release him, because he wasn't signed to sit on the bench.

2: He succeeds, never cracks MLB

Though the majority of critics find it unlikely, Tebow could end up having a good minor-league career. Now, there's a big difference between Triple-A and the majors. So even if Tebow makes it that far, and he'll likely have to bat at least .250 to do so. But even then, he could find success as a pro baseball player and never make it to the bigs. Those players who get stuck in the minors are "lifers" because they're too good for minor-league baseball, but not good enough for the majors.

3: He succeeds, gets called up to MLB

In the unlikeliest of scenarios, Tebow could do well and get the call to the majors. In order to do so, he'll have to show that he's a competent hitter, not just an average one. Players in the minors that show glimpses of talent don't cut it, because the one trait all major leaguers share is consistency in some aspect of their game. For example, while Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Chris Carter owns a lifetime batting average of .219 and strikes out nearly 200 times every year, he's a constant 30-homer threat, which is what keeps him in the majors.