In this day and age, most college football players are not afforded a summer vacation.

Instead, they usually stay around campus to participate in some kind of offseason workout program to prepare for the upcoming season.

Not ASU senior wide receiver Michael Jones. He packed his bags and left town.

But Jones did not leave Tempe to hit the beach or go back home.

He traveled across the country to play professional baseball.

Jones, who has been a two-sport athlete since he arrived at ASU in 2004, was selected by the New York Yankees in the 29th round of the 2008 first-year player draft. He spent time in centerfield for their minor league affiliate, Florida’s Rookie Gulf Coast League.

“I was lucky enough to go to the Yankees, one of the most prestigious organizations in the history of sports,” Jones said. “Everywhere you look you see blue or the Yankee symbol, so it was great.

“I loved it out there, I’m glad I went.”

While Jones batted just .184 with five doubles and two RBI during the 15-game season, he learned about the workload it takes to be a professional athlete.

“It’s a big grind,” Jones said. “Everybody’s out there to move up and go through the process to get to the big leagues.

“It’s not just a game, it’s a business also.”

Jones is better known for his football accomplishments at ASU, but baseball was the first sport he played as a kid growing up in Sugar Land, Texas.

“I have to admit, baseball was my first love,” Jones said. “I’ve played baseball since I was able to pick up a bat.”

Jones did not even begin playing football until his sophomore year of high school, mostly because his mother would not let him play. She felt it was unsafe.

“I played [football] with my friends in the neighborhood, backyards, [a] patch of grass, whatever [we] could find,” Jones said. “My mom finally gave me the opportunity [in high school] and was like, ‘Go ahead and go play,’ and it looks like she has no regrets right now.”

And even when he was finally allowed to put on the pads, he was not running routes. He was lining up behind center.

Jones was the quarterback of his high school team while being recruited to play wide receiver in college. He was also the starting centerfielder for his high school’s baseball team.

And when ASU gave Jones the chance to play both sports in college, he took advantage of it.

“It was a huge part of the decision [to come to ASU],” Jones said. “[ASU baseball coach Pat Murphy] gave me the opportunity to come out here and play baseball. And they welcomed me with open arms.

“I can’t even thank them enough, it’s been a blessing for me to come out here and play two sports [in college].”

Jones had some growing pains on the football field when he first arrived in Tempe because he had to learn a completely different position in a sport that was still fairly new to him.

He credits his success to some of the other great wide receivers that have come through the ASU football program in recent years, namely Derek Hagan, Matt Miller, Terry Richardson and Rudy Burgess.

“They showed me how to play the game,” Jones said. “[By] watching them over the years, I started trying new things that they did.”

As Jones continued to grow at receiver, so did his stats. He went from catching just four balls for 22 yards in his freshman season in 2005 to catching 46 passes for 769 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns last season.

In between football seasons, Jones turned his attention to the diamond, which sometimes required a balancing act because spring football takes place right in the middle of the college baseball season.

“It was really rough when the whole new coaching staff [wanted me to] to play spring football and baseball at the same time,” Jones said. “This past year I kind of got an understanding that I [didn’t] have to be here for football and I [could] go out there and play baseball.”

After ending his Sun Devil baseball career in June and returning from professional baseball, Jones can now focus solely on his last season of football and has already made his presence known as the veteran leader of the talented ASU receiving corps.

“Probably the last half of [last] season and going into this season, Mike has really come into his own in all aspects of the game,” ASU coach Dennis Erickson said. “I’m not just talking about catching the ball, but I’m talking about playing, giving 100 percent all the time, blocking downfield, doing the things that great receivers do.”

His 2008 season is already off to a hot start, as he caught six balls for a career-high 162 yards in the Sun Devils’ win against NAU last week.

A reason for Jones’ success has been his relationship with senior quarterback Rudy Carpenter. They were both part of the 2004 recruiting class and have become close on and off the field while playing together for almost five years.

“I feel comfortable with Mike because I’ve thrown him a lot of balls since our freshman year,” Carpenter said. “His maturity and his experience bring a lot to our receiving corps.

“We do have good [receivers], but in some areas we’re young, so Mike’s a good example for those guys and those guys can learn from him.”

With just a couple months left in his ASU athletic career, Jones wants to remain a consistent threat in the Sun Devil passing game and add a Rose Bowl appearance to his resume. That would only complement his College World Series appearance in 2007.

And after college, Jones said he just wants the opportunity to play either professional sport.

With a baseball contract already signed and his name on many 2009 NFL mock draft boards, that definitely seems to be an attainable goal.

But Jones said isn’t concerned about that right now. He knows he’s had a unique opportunity at ASU, and that is something he will continue to savor and never forget.

“I was one of the only guys who got the chance to play Division I baseball and football,” he said. “I’m going to take that with me for the rest of my life.”

Reach the reporter at gina.mizell@asu.edu.