The Minnesota Twins selected catcher Vahn Lackey from the Georgia Institute of Technology with the third overall selection in the first round of the 2026 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 202-pound backstop hit .397 (87-for-219) with 16 doubles, three triples, 20 home runs, 78 RBI, 85 runs scored, 169 total bases, 50 walks, 85 runs scored, a .519 on-base percentage, a .772 slugging percentage and a 1.291 OPS in 61 games for the Yellow Jackets in the 2025-26 season, and his 4.88 defensive WAR led the Atlantic Coast Conference and ranked fourth in the country. The 21-year-old was named First-Team All-ACC, and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year after posting a .993 fielding percentage in his 61 games. He was also a finalist for the 2026 Golden Spikes Award. The Suwanee, GA native hit .347 (182-for-525) with 32 doubles, four triples, 30 home runs, 135 RBI, 312 total bases, 87 walks, 144 runs scored, a .450 on-base percentage, a .594 slugging percentage and a 1.045 OPS in 157 games across three seasons for Georgia Tech. Lackey was named to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in 2025, was a 2025 Buster Posey Award semifinalist and named to the 2025 All-ACC Second Team.
This is the fourth time and first since selecting National Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Mauer first overall in 2001, that the Twins have selected a catcher with their first overall selection in the First-Year Player Draft (also, Mauer in 2001, Derek Parks in 1986 and Jeff Reed in 1980). This year also marks the second time in Twins history they have had the third overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft, after selecting outfielder David McCarty third overall in 1991. Vahn Lackey was recommended by Twins scout Jack Powell.
The Twins also selected catcher Carson Tinney in the second round (43rd overall) of today’s draft out of the University of Texas at Austin. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound backstop hit .326 (71-for-218) with 13 doubles, 22 home runs, 58 RBI, 10 stolen bases, 55 walks, 68 runs scored and a 1.171 OPS in 61 games for the Longhorns last season. Tinney racked up several honors in 2026, including: NCAA Austin Regional All-Tournament Team; ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove Team; ABCA/Rawlings All-America, Second Team; D1Baseball All-America, Third Team; NCBWA All-America, Third Team; ABCA/Rawlings Central All-Region, Second Team; and All-SEC Second Team. Carson Tinney was recommended by Twins scout Trevor Brown.
This is the first time in the history of the June draft that the Twins have selected catchers with each of their first two picks.
The Twins selected 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed pitcher Brett Renfrow out of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Competitive Balance Round B (74th overall). The 21-year-old went 5-4 with a 4.64 ERA (73.2 IP, 38 ER), 25 walks, 88 strikeouts and a 1.32 WHIP in 15 starts for the Hokies last season. He fanned eight-plus batters in five of his 15 starts and allowed two-or-fewer runs in 11 of the 15. Brett Renfrow was recommended by Twins scout John Wilson.
The Twins then selected right-handed pitcher Ethan Wachsmann in the third round (79th overall) out of Grandview High School (CO). The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder went 6-2 with a 2.10 ERA (36.2 IP, 11 ER), 14 walks, 66 strikeouts and a 0.96 WHIP in nine starts for Grandview last season. Ethan Wachsmann was recommended by Twins scout Chandler Wagoner.
The Twins then selected right-handed pitcher Tommy LaPour in the fourth round (107th overall) out of Texas Christian University. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA (17.0 IP, 12 ER), 10 walks, 17 strikeouts and a 1.65 WHIP in six games (four starts) for the Horned Frogs last season. Tommy LaPour was recommended by Twins scout Trevor Brown.
(info courtesy of Twins)
