The Minnesota Twins selected Vahn Lackey third overall during the 2026 MLB Draft. Al Bello / Getty ImagesJuly 11, 2026 3:57 pm EDT Updated MINNEAPOLIS — Though Vahn Lackey didn’t receive much hype coming out of high school three years ago, he surged to near the top of the draft class this spring after a standout season.Following an amazing junior season at Georgia Tech, the Minnesota Twins used the third overall pick of the amateur draft to select Lackey on Saturday.Lackey is the highest draft pick used by the Twins to select a catcher since they drafted Hall of Famer Joe Mauer with the first overall pick of the 2001 draft.Lackey batted .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs, 78 RBIs, 50 walks and only 38 strikeouts in 283 plate appearances during his junior year.“He started making noise with the bat early this spring and the more we went in to scout Georgia Tech, our guys kept coming out of there going, ‘I thought he was the best player on the field,’” Twins scouting director/assistant general manager Sean Johnson said. “Every time we sent someone in there to see him that hadn’t seen him before, they all came out with the same answer. He’s hard to take your eyes off when you see him play.”Described as a late bloomer, Lackey wasn’t among the top 500 high school prospects ranked by Perfect Game in 2023. Much has changed since then.The Athletic’s Keith Law recently wrote of Lackey: “He’s extremely athletic with 55 speed and outstanding agility, getting up out of the crouch quickly on blocks or weak ground balls, with an 80 arm that just needs to be more consistent. He’s an excellent hitter for contact, with a 15 percent whiff rate this year. … Lackey’s appeal is his ability to stay behind the plate and add value at such a scarce position.”Lackey is considered athletic enough to play all over the field. On March 10, Lackey appeared at every position except pitcher in Georgia Tech’s blowout victory over West Georgia.Lackey’s appeal for the Twins isn’t limited to the field. Johnson said the team quickly discovered their new prospect’s makeup is outstanding.“Fantastic player, fantastic human being, great character,” Johnson said. “He has raving fans wherever he’s been. … People would fight to sit at the lunch table with him.”Jul 11, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms