NIAGARA FALLS — Marshall McDonald is serving as a first baseman for his second season on the Niagara Power and is showing he has the experience and talent needed to lead the team in the right direction.

The 21-year-old grew up and currently resides in Red Springs, N.C., but went to college at Montreat College near Asheville, N.C., where he majors in communications with a minor in physical education. However, he plans to graduate in 2011 from Valley Community College where he is transferring to for this year and will major in physical education.

“If I don’t get the chance to play pro ball I want to coach college baseball,” said McDonald.

During high school, McDonald was All-County and All-Conference his junior and senior year. He also was said to have led his team in home runs, batting average and RBIs in his senior year, as well as being a great power player for the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s Falls team last year.

“He’s improved tremendously,” said Niagara Power coach Eric Ebers. “He’s improved defensively and offensively. He really took advantage of his playing time this spring. We saw signs of what he could be at the end of last summer and since then he’s developed.”

Marshall started playing baseball when he was 3 and he says his dad got him into playing.

“My dad played college baseball, so it’s always been in my family,” said McDonald.

Some of the Major League players he looks up to are Albert Pujols and especially Josh Hamilton, since he comes from the same area that McDonald hails from originally.

When asked if he enjoys playing first base, McDonald says, “Yeah, I guess I like it. I’ve been playing it since I was real little, so it’s just kind of normal now.”

Back home he says he’s gone to a few baseball games with his college team, but while he’s been up here in New York he said he’s enjoyed going to a couple Bison’s games.

McDonald’s family supports him in his baseball aspirations.

“My dad loves what I’m doing now,” said McDonald. “My dad has always been the one into baseball and my grandparents always come to the games, so I’m really supported by my family.

Being on the Power two years in a row, McDonald holds the necessary knowledge and experience some of the other new players might not have encountered yet on the team.

“I’d say it’s just more of a continuation of where I left off last year and just growing more as a person and getting to know more people,” said McDonald.

Even though McDonald’s life mostly revolves around baseball, he has one interesting hobby that would seem quite out of the ordinary for a baseball player — making dance videos.

“Yeah, that’s what I do,” said McDonald. “I have like 16 or 17 up on Facebook. We just pick a random song and five or six of us will get in front of the camera and go crazy.”

In addition to making dance videos, McDonald says playing baseball is a full-time commitment.

“Being a baseball player,” he said, “you can’t have too many hobbies.”