Mets outfield farmhand Tim Tebow stroked a three-run home run for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in the first inning Thursday night. It was his first plate appearance and first pitch at the Double-A level.

Tebow, starting in left field for Binghamton, stepped in against Pawtucket right-hander Teddy Stankiewicz and jumped on a first-pitch fastball from the former Mets draft pick. Tebow finished the game 1-for-4.

Tebow opened last season in similar fashion, homering in his Columbia Fireflies debut.

Mets first base prospect Peter Alonso homered earlier in the game for the Rumble Ponies in their 6-0 Opening Day win over the Portland Sea Dogs.

Before the game, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon stated that the decision to bring Tebow to Binghamton was purely baseball related. “He played last year a bunch in St. Lucie and proved himself in Spring Training this year. Listen, he’s not a spring chicken, he’s not young, so the fact is the baseball department feels they have to push him a little bit and this is pushing him to Double-A.”

Tebow hit .226 with eight home runs between Columbia and St. Lucie in 2017.