Double-A baseball star Tim Tebow was placed on the disabled list Sunday, due to a hand injury. However, on Monday the news got worse, revealing that he has a broken hand and will require surgery.

Binghamton Rumble Ponies manager Luis Rojas reported Sunday that Tebow was scheduled to see a specialist on Monday and that further determinations would have to await the results of the examination. But now it is reported that the former Heisman Trophy winner broke the hamate bone in his right hand during a swing at a ball in last Thursday’s game, the New York Post reported.

The 30-year-old Binghamton star had been on track to being called up from the minors by the Mets, but this bad break has put an end to that possibility, at least for this season, the Big Lead noted.

Still, if Tebow can recover his grip, and keeps improving next season as he has over the previous two, his shot at the major league isn’t necessarily dead.

Tebow hit .273 for the season, enough to earn him a slot on the Eastern League’s All-Star team. He had six home runs and 36 RBIs. But he also has a team-high 103 strikeouts.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.