ATLANTA — Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey was selected No. 3 overall by the Minnesota Twins in the Major League Baseball draft Saturday, capping a breakout collegiate season for the Suwanee native and Collins Hill High School graduate.
College season and honors
Lackey, 21, was the recipient of the 2026 Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation's top NCAA Division I male catcher. According to ESPN statistics reported this week, he finished the season hitting .397 with 20 homers and 78 RBIs across 61 games. The production and defensive profile made him one of the most coveted position players in the draft.
Georgia Tech's catcher pipeline
Georgia Tech has a long history of producing high-level catchers. In the last 35 years, Lackey is the fifth catcher from the program to be chosen in the first round, joining names such as Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Joey Bart and Kevin Parada. That track record has reinforced the Yellow Jackets’ reputation for developing both the defensive and offensive demands of the position.
- Draft selection: Minnesota Twins, No. 3 overall (MLB draft, Saturday)
- Age: 21
- 2026 honors: Johnny Bench Award (top NCAA Division I male catcher)
- 2026 stats (ESPN): .397 batting average, 20 home runs, 78 RBIs in 61 games
Local roots and what it means
Lackey grew up in Suwanee and graduated from Collins Hill High School, remaining a point of pride for his community as he transitions to professional baseball. His selection at the very top of the draft will bring attention to the state’s high school and college pipelines, and marks a major milestone for a player who spent the last seasons in Atlanta’s college baseball spotlight.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drafted by | Minnesota Twins (No. 3 overall) |
| College | Georgia Tech |
| 2026 honors | Johnny Bench Award (top NCAA DI catcher) |
| 2026 stats | .397 BA, 20 HR, 78 RBI (61 games) |
| Hometown | Suwanee; Collins Hill High School |
A photograph associated with the draft coverage shows Lackey in action during an NCAA regional game May 30, 2025, in Oxford, Mississippi (AP photo by Vasha Hunt), underscoring his recent prominence on the college stage.
For Georgia Tech fans and local baseball followers, Lackey’s selection is both a personal achievement and another chapter in the school’s history of catching talent reaching the professional ranks. His immediate next steps — contract terms, signing timeline and initial assignment within the Twins’ organization — were not detailed in the draft report.
As the professional season progresses and the Twins set their development plans, baseball observers in Georgia will be watching how the organization leverages Lackey’s offensive numbers and defensive experience at the collegiate level.
— Imani Walker, Georgia correspondent
