The Twins selected Lackey with the third overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Lackey's junior season for Georgia Tech is doing a lot of the lifting in his profile, as he was lightly recruited coming out of high school, struggled as a freshman (60 wRC+) and hit just six homers with a .153 ISO in his solid sophomore campaign that put him on the map. This spring, however, the 6-foot-2 backstop slashed .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs, 15 steals, a 17.7 percent walk rate and a 13.4 percent strikeout rate. His numbers are propped up by a .406 BABIP and the fact this was his third tour of the ACC. While not a plus defender, Lackey has a plus arm and is an agile mover behind the dish, with few questions about whether he'll stick there. He had an OPS under .650 in the Northwoods League in 2024 and a .314 OPS in 26 plate appearances in the Cape Cod League in 2025, so his 2026 season for the Yellow Jackets certainly looks like the outlier. Still, he's always made consistent contact, even when the production has been middling. Lackey passes the eye test with flying colors, and the upside is obvious, but his appeal in dynasty will vary depending on how many catchers are started in your league and the catching depth on your roster.