HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Dizzy Peyton, head baseball coach, announces that Nate Jones is joining the Northern Kentucky staff as the team's director of player development. Jones was a standout on the mound for Northern Kentucky prior to a 14-year professional pitching career that included nearly a decade in the majors.
 
"While I'm sad to see Nate's Major League career come to an end, I couldn't be more excited for Nate, his wife Lacy, and their kids (Archer, Lilly, Emmie Lou and Oakley) to come back home to their Norse family," said Peyton. "Nate has been a great friend to me and an amazing supporter of the baseball program throughout my career at NKU. He's represented Northern Kentucky in a first-class manner at the highest level of baseball for almost 10 years in the MLB, and he also represented our Nation in the World Baseball Classic in 2017. He pitched in high leverage situations in his role with every team he was on. His experience and knowledge of the game, as well as his character and the way he carries himself, will help develop and guide our guys on and off the field. We believe in surrounding ourselves with good people, and we couldn't have found a better guy to help build our baseball program."
 
"I'm thankful and excited for this journey ahead," remarked Jones. "I'm thankful for my time spent at NKU as a student athlete, the lessons I learned along the way and how it helped me build the foundation needed in order to succeed at my career of being a Major League Baseball player. I'm excited about the direction and vision the baseball program is heading under new head coach Dizzy Peyton. So, when the opportunity arose to become the director of player development, I was more than willing to join the staff.  With over 14 years of professional baseball experience, including 9.5 years at the Major League level, I feel like I have knowledge that I want to share to make others the best versions of themselves possible. Like I said I'm thankful for everything NKU has given me, and now it's time to give back."
Jones pitched for the Norse from 2005-07 before being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 5^th round of the 2007 MLB draft. Jones made 16 appearances on the mound in his final season as a Norse, posting a 2.88 ERA with two complete games, including one shutout. He also recorded two saves, punched out 60 hitters in 56.1 innings pitched and held opposing batters to an impressive .185 batting average in 2007. Jones is a member of Northern Kentucky's David Lee Holt Hall of Fame after being inducted in 2019.
 
Of his nearly 10 years in the Majors, Jones spent eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox, one with the Cincinnati Reds and split time this season with the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers before retiring in August. He made 325 appearances, tossing 329.0 innings with a 3.45 career ERA and 355 strikeouts.