Georgia Tech Catcher Vahn Lackey Selected 3rd Overall By the Minnesota Twins in the MLB Draft

After an illustrious career at Georgia Tech, Vahn Lackey has officially been selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. Lackey was widely expected to be picked third overall by the Minnesota Twins and that is what happened.

With the 3rd pick of the 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 the @Twins select, VAHN LACKEY!

2026 Johnny Bench Award Winner
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
Tied for the highest draft pick in program history

Congratulations @LackeyVahn!!#StingEm🐝 x #CatcherU pic.twitter.com/dbPpgZtP8V
— Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) July 11, 2026

With his selection, Lackey becomes the first-round pick for Georgia Tech since Kevin Parada was picked 11th by the New York Mets in 2022. Lackey is one of several prospects that is expected to be picked this weekend and will likely be followed by prolific outfielder Drew Burress, who is widely expected to be picked in the coming selections.

Lackey is the highest player taken from Georgia Tech since Joey Bart went 2nd overall in 2018. He is the fifth Georgia Tech catcher drafted in the first round, most for any program.

Lackey was named a first -team All-American by five outlets after the season that he had for the Yellow Jackets, and in 2026, he helped lead one of the best offenses in program history, as well as leading Georgia Tech to be the No. 2 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.

With his five different All-American selections, Lackey became the third catcher in the last nine years for the Yellow Jackets who accomplished that, joining Parada and Joey Bart.

What kind of player is Lackey?

Vahn Lackey Georgia Tec — May 31, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Georgia Tech Yellowjackets catcher Vahn Lackey (25) singles during the first inning against the Murray State Racers. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In a lineup that was filled with MLB Draft talent, Lackey somehow found a way to stand out above everyone else, including Burress. Lackey took longer to progress over his time on The Flats than some others, but he exploded onto the scene this year and transformed into arguably the best all-around player in the country, and should be an All-Star sooner rather than later at the next level.

Lackey finished the 2026 season in WAR (wins above replacement), finishing with a 5.66 mark, and His .397 average was the highest among catchers in the country this season and his 1.291 OPS was top 10 in the country.

After not being a heralded high-school prospect, Lackey is now in the company of Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Kevin Parada, and Joey Bart as first-round catchers from Georgia Tech.

So who is going to follow Lackey over the next weekend?

Burress is very likely to be drafted in the top ten following Lackey's selection and Jarren Advincula has a strong chance of being picked somewhere today after his lone season at Georgia Tech. After those two, Carson Kerce, Alex Hernandez, Tate McKee, Porter Buursema, Ryan Zuckerman, and Justin Shadek are included on most top prospect rankings.

The Yellow Jackets also have some high-school commitments who could be selected this weekend. Isaiah Galason (Houston County, GA) is the name to know, but it will be interesting to see if he stays in the big leagues or comes to play at Georgia Tech.

Lackey has all the makings of a future star and this is the next step in his journey.

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