On Saturday, the Minnesota Twins used the third overall pick in the MLB draft to select Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, a Collins Hill High School graduate from Suwanee. The 21-year-old backstop capped a meteoric rise from a lightly recruited prep player to one of the draft’s top prospects after a breakout season at Georgia Tech. Coaches and teammates around Gwinnett County reacted with pride as the local product heard his name called in Philadelphia.
FOX 5 Atlanta ran video of the announcement and highlighted the Collins Hill connection and Lackey’s hometown reaction. According to the station’s coverage, family members and friends gathered to watch the draft call.
From Collins Hill to Georgia Tech
Raised in Suwanee, Lackey is listed on Georgia Tech’s roster as a 6-foot-2, 215-pound catcher and a graduate of Collins Hill High School. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution documented how a swing overhaul and offseason work helped him add power and polish, turning him into one of college baseball’s most improved players. Georgia Tech’s official bio also lists his honors and role as a veteran leader on the roster, and Georgia Tech Athletics notes his hometown and high-school roots on the team page.
Why the Twins picked him
Scouts praised a rare combination of defense, arm strength and a sudden power spike that pushed Lackey into the draft’s top tier. Baseball America described him as “an excellent defensive catcher” who developed a high-impact bat this spring, and MLB.com had him ranked among the class’s top prospects. That blend of receiving skill, arm strength and emerging power made him an appealing fit for Minnesota’s front office.
What comes next
Lackey will enter contract talks with the Twins and is expected to begin his professional career in Minnesota’s minor-league system once signed. National draft roundups noted the top three choices and the broader board, and outlets such as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette included Lackey in their Day-One coverage. For Georgia Tech and Collins Hill, the pick stands as the latest example of a local player rising to the next level, and fans in Suwanee and across Gwinnett County will be watching his first pro assignment closely.
