Medford's Levi Jones takes a lead off first base during a recent game against the Lincoln Potters.

Levi Jones has had some of the best training grounds to see some fantastic talent in the state of Oregon — whether it be at Jesuit High School in Portland or at Oregon State University — and he is ready to put those experiences to work for the Medford Rogues.

The 2023 Jesuit alum played three years with Noble Meyer — who was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft by the Miami Marlins out of high school — and has intently watched his collegiate teammate Travis Bazzana — the Pac-12 Player of the Year — in his first year with the Beavers.

Already with some great athletic gifts, Jones also has an emphasis on the mental side and has taken notes from some of the great players around himself with hopes to reach the professional level.

Equipped with strong self-awareness, Jones understands that he himself can control his emotions and of how the flow of the game affects his performance.

That type of deeper thinking tracks with his desire to be a psychologist after his playing days and he has found applications within baseball and psychology.

“Just the analytical way of thinking about the game,” Jones said. “Being able to process things and how I react to things, what is gonna frustrate me and what is gonna keep me in the moment and present.”

“As a baseball player, you’re gonna fail more than you succeed,” he added. “So just try to be able to deal with the failure and not make the successes too high and the lows too low and bounce back. That’s really why I was drawn to psychology.”

When he isn’t playing chess or reading for a detox from baseball, Jones is always seeking to find an edge and watching Bazzana and others the past year gave him the ability to mix and match his game.

“I love replicating a guy’s swing, trying to figure out what works for them,” he said. “But also like the biggest thing that I’ve found is just trying to find a way to be myself.”

“Being able to know how you want to attack the game and play the chess version of it,” he added, “that is one of my strengths, being able to just slow the game down when I’m doing well. Those guys are the best at slowing it down, knowing what’s going to come to them and letting everything happen. I feel like those are the consistencies that I see in the best players.”

With Oregon State boasting a talented roster overall, playing time for Jones was scarce and now playing for the Rogues will give him the chance to put what he learned into practice.

Through 11 games, Jones has totaled 15 hits with two home runs, six doubles and one triple for the Rogues. He has also produced the second-most RBIs with 18 — only one back of Jack Meissner — and has scored nine runs.

For such an efficient sample size after joining Medford late with the OSU season ending in the Lexington Super Regionals, Jones credited Rogues manager and Beavers assistant coach Nate Esposito for creating an environment of learning with how he handles summer ball.

“He’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, especially with the way that he can take things in stride,” Jones said about Esposito. “He’s a really good caretaker for us. He really, really loves our players and he really wants to win, and I value all of the same things he does on the field. He’s a great person, a great coach and a great mentor for all of us here.”

And his baseball coach is more than excited to be spending the offseason with him, keeping tabs on his improvement.

Esposito has been excited to see how Jones has developed and said he admires his consistent attitude, along with his desire to improve with whichever team he is on, whether it be playing in the Pacific Empire League or Division I baseball.

“He’s a kid with a lot of ability at a school that has a ton of guys with a lot of ability,” Esposito said. “And I think that this summer is a big opportunity for him to grow as a player on the field and develop some things.”

“I think that the summer is really important for him to get on the field consistently this next year and I think off the field, his mind is good,” he added. “He can deal with failure and come back the next day and be a positive person on the team. I think physically is where he needs to get more reps and continue to grow, and I think he could definitely be a guy for Oregon State this year.”

Jones is also floating between positions, having played third base, second base and right field already for the Rogues. The sophomore’s hope is to be versatile enough to be able to fill whatever need the Beavers may have next year.

Before his second year begins in the fall, though, Jones is cherishing his time to not only improve his game, but also to be a part of baseball in Southern Oregon with his other OSU contingent like assistant coach Kyle Froemke and teammate Tyce Peterson.

“They’re the guys that motivate me the most,” the Rogues utility player said. “They keep me at my best and they really help me with whatever I need.”

“My goals for the Rogues were coming out here and just helping this team win any way I can and trying to bring some excitement to the Rogue Valley.”