The Dayton Dragons will welcome back one their most famous former players Tuesday.

Joey Votto, the 2010 National League MVP, is scheduled to begin a two-day major league rehabilitation assignment with the Dragons on Tuesday against the Western Michigan Whitecaps at Fifth-Third Field. Votto is also slated to be with the Dragons on Wednesday when they begin a series with Great Lakes.

“Some (of our guys) may try to impress him and play too hard and others may back away,” Dragons manager said Delino DeShields said. “The big thing is to get him back on the field with the big club. Do what we can and hopefully he goes back with no injuries.”

Votto has been on the Cincinnati Reds’ disabled list with a left knee injury, last appearing on July 15. At the time, Votto was hitting .342 with 14 home runs and 111 runs batted in and was a starter for the National League in the All-Star game.

A member of the 2003 and 2004 Dragons, Votto appeared in 171 games, hitting .302 with 14 homers and 73 RBI in his second season. Votto also homered in his first swing of a rehab assignment in 2009.

In claiming the MVP award in 2010, Votto hit .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs to become the fourth Red to hit at least .320 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs, joining George Foster, Frank Robinson and Ted Kluszewski. Votto is also a gold glove first baseman.

“I’m sure the kids will enjoy having him around,” DeShields said. “(Miguel) Cairo was great with the kids. We will wait and see. I know he is a quiet guy naturally and not a big rah-rah guy.”

Votto is the fifth Red to play for the Dragons this season, joining infielder Cairo, pitchers Bill Bray and Nick Masset and outfielder Drew Stubbs.

“You can tell why they are where they are,” Dragons’ first baseman Nick O’Shea said. “They do the little things well. It gives us the motivation to work our way up to their level. But I’m looking forward to watching him hit. He has a smart approach at the plate and I am looking forward to seeing him in action.”

The Dragons could have used the infusion of Votto’s bat Sunday as Western Michigan pitchers limited Dayton to just six hits in a 7-2 set back.

Sean Buckley kept his hitting streak alive at eight games with a solo home run with two outs in the ninth. Junior Arias scored the first run for the Dragons after doubling in the ninth and scoring on a sacrifice fly by Juan Silva.