- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,215,128
- Reaction score
- 59
The Twins get their dynamic catcher.
The Minnesota Twins have selected Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey with the No. 3 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Saturday. It was a selection that the Twins did not need to overthink one bit.
In their highest draft selection since they took Royce Lewis with the No. 1 pick in 2017, the Twins took on one of the most versatile talents in all of college baseball in Lackey.
Lackey is fresh off a stellar junior season at Georgia Tech, where he earned the 2026 Johnny Bench Award Winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
It is known that most teams do not often draft for need, but the Twins likely recognize that Lackey could have an open path to the big leagues should he develop in a quick manner. Current starter Ryan Jeffers is set to hit free agency at the season’s conclusion, while Minnesota owns very little catcher talent within their organization.
Undoubtedly the best backstop on the draft board, Lackey boasts gold glove caliber upside behind the dish with more speed and athleticism than most catchers. His talent has often been compared to the skillset of future Hall of Fame catcher Buster Posey, for good reason.
In 2026, Lackey recorded a dominant .397/.519/.772 slashline at the dish and improved his power numbers drastically. After hitting six homers in his sophomore year, Lackey launched 20 home runs to his name.
Lackey has had one of the most dominant presences at the dish throughout college baseball. He has a plus hitting ability with a very patient approach, while possessing the ability to spray the baseball to all fields with a 60-grade hit tool.
On top of getting on base at a high rate, Lackey has also proven to be a threat on the basepaths, a rare quality for a catcher. In his junior year, Lackey stole 15 bases and was only caught on the basepaths once.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Lackey is expected to remain behind the backstop for a very long time. He is a rare gem of a catcher talent, with a dynamic skillset that is hardly ever replicated at the position.
Defensively, Lackey owns a strong and accurate arm behind the backstop, with a 60-grade arm. His athleticism has even allowed him to play 13 games at third base last season. He is a rare gem of a catcher talent, with a dynamic skillset that is hardly ever replicated at the position.
Lackey’s journey to this moment is one that is highly impressive. In fact, just a couple of years ago, he was nowhere near expected to be a future top-3 in the MLB draft.
The Suwanee, Georgia native did not receive his first collegiate offer until his senior year of high school, partially due to a late growth-spurt. Upon joining Georgia Tech, he even struggled in his freshman season in posting a .214 batting average in 36 games.
His past couple of seasons had cemented him as one of the premier talents in college baseball. Lackey joins a prestigious list of Georgia Tech catchers drafted in the first round in the last 35 years, joining Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Joey Bart and Kevin Parada.
Lackey immediately joins some elite company upon joining the Twins organization. The 21-year-old is the first catcher selected by Minnesota in the first round since the team drafted Hall-of-Famer Joe Mauer with the first pick in 2001.
Continue reading...
The Minnesota Twins have selected Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey with the No. 3 overall pick in the MLB Draft on Saturday. It was a selection that the Twins did not need to overthink one bit.
In their highest draft selection since they took Royce Lewis with the No. 1 pick in 2017, the Twins took on one of the most versatile talents in all of college baseball in Lackey.
Lackey is fresh off a stellar junior season at Georgia Tech, where he earned the 2026 Johnny Bench Award Winner and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
It is known that most teams do not often draft for need, but the Twins likely recognize that Lackey could have an open path to the big leagues should he develop in a quick manner. Current starter Ryan Jeffers is set to hit free agency at the season’s conclusion, while Minnesota owns very little catcher talent within their organization.
Undoubtedly the best backstop on the draft board, Lackey boasts gold glove caliber upside behind the dish with more speed and athleticism than most catchers. His talent has often been compared to the skillset of future Hall of Fame catcher Buster Posey, for good reason.
In 2026, Lackey recorded a dominant .397/.519/.772 slashline at the dish and improved his power numbers drastically. After hitting six homers in his sophomore year, Lackey launched 20 home runs to his name.
Lackey has had one of the most dominant presences at the dish throughout college baseball. He has a plus hitting ability with a very patient approach, while possessing the ability to spray the baseball to all fields with a 60-grade hit tool.
On top of getting on base at a high rate, Lackey has also proven to be a threat on the basepaths, a rare quality for a catcher. In his junior year, Lackey stole 15 bases and was only caught on the basepaths once.
At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Lackey is expected to remain behind the backstop for a very long time. He is a rare gem of a catcher talent, with a dynamic skillset that is hardly ever replicated at the position.
Defensively, Lackey owns a strong and accurate arm behind the backstop, with a 60-grade arm. His athleticism has even allowed him to play 13 games at third base last season. He is a rare gem of a catcher talent, with a dynamic skillset that is hardly ever replicated at the position.
Lackey’s journey to this moment is one that is highly impressive. In fact, just a couple of years ago, he was nowhere near expected to be a future top-3 in the MLB draft.
The Suwanee, Georgia native did not receive his first collegiate offer until his senior year of high school, partially due to a late growth-spurt. Upon joining Georgia Tech, he even struggled in his freshman season in posting a .214 batting average in 36 games.
His past couple of seasons had cemented him as one of the premier talents in college baseball. Lackey joins a prestigious list of Georgia Tech catchers drafted in the first round in the last 35 years, joining Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Joey Bart and Kevin Parada.
Lackey immediately joins some elite company upon joining the Twins organization. The 21-year-old is the first catcher selected by Minnesota in the first round since the team drafted Hall-of-Famer Joe Mauer with the first pick in 2001.
Continue reading...
