Twins' Vahn Lackey Makes Minor League Debut 3 Weeks After Being Drafted

Minnesota isn't wasting any time with its first-rounder

Jul 24, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins 2026 first-round draft pick Vahn Lackey throws out a first pitch prior to the game against the Athletics at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Minnesota Twins first-round pick Vahn Lackey has officially started his professional career less than a month after hearing his name called during the 2026 MLB Draft.

Lackey, a catcher from Georgia Tech who was the No. 3 pick by the Twins earlier this month, made his minor league debut on Thursday with the Single-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. The 21-year-old went 0-for-1 at the plate with two walks, an HBP, a stolen base, and a run scored in the Mighty Mussels' 9-3 loss to the Palm Beach Cardinals, the Single-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.

While this is obviously just the beginning for Lackey, it is noteworthy that he's started his minor league career this quickly. With the righty-swinging catcher already playing in Single-A just a few weeks after being drafted, he could be on the fast track through Minnesota's farm system.

What can Twins fans expect to see from Vahn Lackey in 2026?

Jul 24, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins 2026 first-round draft pick Vahn Lackey throws out a first pitch to manager Derek Shelton (8) prior to the game against the Athletics at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before the Twins selected Lackey with the third-overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, the young catcher enjoyed a productive college career at Georgia Tech. This year, in particular, the 21-year-old had a .397 batting average, a .519 on-base percentage, and a 1.291 OPS with 20 home runs, 78 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases in 61 games for the Yellow Jackets. In 2025, he hit .347 with six homers, 42 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases in 60 college games.

That strong production at Georgia Tech is likely a major reason why the Twins took Lackey toward the top of the recent draft. Minnesota also gave the young prospect a $9,497,500 signing bonus, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis. That was briefly the second-largest signing bonus in MLB draft history, until the Tampa Bay Rays reportedly gave No. 2 pick Grady Emerson $9.75 million. Now, Lackey has the third-highest signing bonus of all time and the largest bonus given to a catcher in MLB draft history.

While Lackey is only one game into his minor league career, many Twins fans will undoubtedly be paying close attention to how the first-rounder performs over the next couple of months. It'll also be interesting to see if the young catcher remains at Single-A this year or if Minnesota decides to test him at High-A before his first full minor league season in 2027.