Thanks to working on yoga techniques with MSU’s weight training staff, Day has improved his flexibility this season, helping him increase his caught-stealing percentage and minimize passed balls.

“I’m really pleased with my progress behind the plate defensively and I feel I’ve been a solid defensive catcher and I just need to keep improving,” Day said. “Right now, I’m very pleased with where I’m at, but I need to keep improving and getting better.”

Wanting to get better is the No. 1 reason why Day has the ability to continue to improve and play at the next level, Grewe said.

“That starts it all — you have to have the desire to actually be that guy,” Grewe said. “If you don’t have the desire to be that guy, you’ll never become that guy because you won’t work hard enough for that. He’s actually made the decision to do that and that’s gotten him to that level.”

Aside from his offensive production and defensive improvement, another number sticks out when looking at Day’s career stats — games played. During his two-plus seasons, the Spartans have taken part in 133 games, and Day has started 132 of them. The lone game he missed came during his sophomore season as a result of a nagging hamstring injury, which, other than a torn lateral meniscus in the eighth grade, is the only somewhat-serious injury Day has suffered.

Day said the secret to his durability is taking all the little things seriously, such as staying healthy, maintaining his body, having good nutrition and trying to drink water instead of soda.

The dedication of taking the little things seriously, coupled with his offensive prowess, has Day poised to keep his bat hot for the rest of the season — and beyond.

“He’ll get drafted (again) this year and if it’s good for him, and I hope it is, I hope he signs,” Grewe said of Day, who was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 19th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, but opted to come back for his junior season. “If it’s not, he’ll be back for his senior year, but I’m anticipating things work out for him.”

Grewe has talked with professional scouts and general managers about Day and said while they have always been impressed with his bat, they are encouraged by his defensive improvement. They also like Day’s versatility, as he has played catcher, outfield and designated hitter during his MSU career.

Grewe said part of the thought behind having Day play various positions is to keep his bat in the MSU lineup, but an added bonus is to show his versatility off to scouts.

“He can be viewed in the organization’s standpoint as a multitooled guy — a guy who can run a little bit, a guy who can play the outfield, a guy who has a decent arm from the outfield (and) a guy that obviously can catch,” Grewe said. “If you have a guy who can do both of those within the organization, that gives you a little bit more leverage and that gives you a little more chance as you’re moving through (the minors onto the majors) because now you’re taking away a roster spot from somebody else, but that’s in essence filling two.”

Although Day said he likes playing outfield as opposed to DH because he’s more involved in the game, he said catching remains his favorite because he’s the leader of the field and involved in every play.

As for his professional prospects, Day said he returned to school this season because the Cubs weren’t the right fit for him in 2007. Although he hopes to find a better fit and get drafted higher in the June draft, right now he’s just concentrating on what could be his final season at MSU.

“(I came back here) to keep getting better and keep working on my game and have a better year than I did last year,” Day said. “We’ll see what happens at the end of the year, but right now I’m just focused on winning baseball games for Michigan State.”