The desire to complete his degree has brought former Saluki first baseman Aaron Jones back to SIUC during the off-season, despite his aspiration to establish himself as a professional baseball player.

Not an hour goes by that I don’t wish I were there (in New York or Florida playing baseball), Jones said. But if I had spent the time in Florida working out, I couldn’t live with myself knowing I still hadn’t finished it (the degree).

Jones only has three classes left after this semester before he will have his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

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SIUC baseball coach Dan Callahan said he respects Jones for choosing now rather than later to finish his degree.

I admire him for coming back, Callahan said. It may be a blessing that the Yankees don’t have a fall instructional league, just from the standpoint that it gives him a chance to get his degree.

Jones had to enroll late for his classes this semester because he still was playing baseball for the single-A Oneonta Yankees in New York. Jones did not start his classes until Sept. 12.

Jones said it was difficult coming back to school so late in the semester, but he enjoys the freedom he now has because he has more control of his time.

The good thing is I am now on my own schedule, Jones said. Coaches always understand about school dilemmas and activities, but now it is easy to build workouts around school.

Jones is working on weight training more than anything else right now. He plans to begin more intensive bat training after the semester is over.

Every (weight) routine is going up, Jones said. Every exercise is increasing, and my bat feels really light.

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Building his strength will be a key factor in helping Jones get the kind of power numbers he wants for next season.

I didn’t have a lot of power last season, Jones said. This year, there won’t be any excuses. The only thing that I am guaranteed is a spot in spring training. If I had helped myself, I would have hit 10 or 20 home runs.

Jones hit two triples and had a .241 batting average with the Oneonta Yankees, but he was unable to get one over the fence last season.

Jones will spend the time after this semester getting more aquatinted with the wooden bat with the use of his indoor batting facility he has at his home in Newport, Mich. Hitting with wood was something he struggled with during last season with Oneonta.

The transition from aluminum bats to wooden bats is something every college baseball player has to go through.

Generally for most college kids, it is an adjustment, Callahan said. Eventually you have to put some numbers because they will decide whether you are a hitter they can work with or you aren’t. That is how cut and dry it is in pro ball.

Jones started half the games with the Yankee farm team at first base and 12 games in left field. Of the 78 games he played, Jones started 63.

Toward the end of the season, Jones began to improve his hitting. He does not know where he will end up next season, but he believes he has a good chance of moving up to one level in the Yankees organization.

We had a lot of second-year professionals on the team, Jones said. The reason they were they is because they struggled. None of those guys hit .241. They all hit around .180, .190. All I can do is just go for the gold.