LaValley takes over FSL home run lead

Gavin LaValley crept close to the Florida State League lead in home runs with a power surge at the end of May, but still sat in second behind Bradenton's Logan Hill. 
With two swings of the bat Monday, the Reds No. 26 prospect vaulted into the top spot.

LaValley slugged two long balls and drove in three runs to lead Class A Advanced Daytona to a 10-9 win over Dunedin on Monday at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Top-ranked Cincinnati farmhand Nick Senzel and No. 13 Shed Long also went deep and combined for five RBIs.
Gameday box score
"It's awesome, and recently, they've been trying to carry the rest of the team," Daytona hitting coach Alex Pelaez said. "Nick's more quiet, but he's trying to be a little more vocal here and there. Shed's a little louder, but he does a very good job talking to players. Sometimes you go through him to talk to players. ... Gavin's got a good idea of his own swing."
The middle-of-the-order trio has amassed 30 homers this season. At the forefront with 15, LaValley's approach hasn't strayed off course this season, according to Pelaez.
"[LaValley] has a good feel for what he needs to do when he's off," his coach said. "We've been trying to remind him of that -- nothing new. He's very detail-oriented, just little thing here, little thing there, he's able to figure it out. He wants to hit for power, but he's not really concentrating on it. He's just trying to put a good swing, because if he puts a good swing, he knows it will go out." 
Senzel got things started with two outs in the sixth inning, depositing a 3-2 pitch from Conor Fisk over the wall in left-center field. Up next, LaValley took advantage of a first-pitch fastball and smoked it over the same part of the fence. 
"We talk about it, [LaValley] hunts pitchers," Pelaez said. "You can almost tell with his takes and his swings that he was not going to get fooled this at-bat. He studies the pitcher just really lightly and knows what he's going to do and how to do it. It's pretty fun to watch." 
An inning later, Long joined in. With 10th-ranked Reds prospect Alfredo Rodriguez and Daniel Sweet on base, the 21-year-old ripped his 11th homer of the season to left. Senzel was then plunked and LaValley feasted on a 2-1 pitch for his second roundtripper of the night. 
The 2014 fourth-round pick now has 36 homers over four professional seasons, 26 of which have come in the past two. Pelaez heard so much about LaValley before this season, but now he understands why the 2014 fourth-round pick has been so successful.
"I got to Spring Training late, but I had him a few times the last couple of years," Pelaez said. "Ever since before I met him, it was like, 'LaValley can hit, LaValley can hit.' Now I get to see it every day, which is pretty fun. ... We have three coaches and we try to get on him, but it's nothing fancy. He's up the middle, he doesn't try to pull anything, and when he's right, he will do it."
In his third full professional season, Long has amassed a .311/.369/.538 slash line with 11 homers and 34 RBIs. Senzel sports a .304 average and 18 multi-hit efforts with Daytona after his first-round selection in 2016. Pelaez doesn't think either of them play second fiddle to LaValley.

"They've been feeding off of each other the whole time," Pelaez said. "They're more patient with each other. Senzel is very patient, and Shed's learning to be a lot more patient and not get frustrated with himself. Nick's more even-keeled. and very low maintenance. He has an idea of what he wants to do as well."
No. 12 Reds prospect Chris Okey chipped in two hits.
Toronto's No. 12 prospectMax Pentecost, No. 23 Juan Kelly and Connor Panas collected three hits apiece while Cavan Biggio drove in two runs with two hits for Dunedin.