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After a hopeful start to their 2026 season<\/a>, it appears the Minnesota Twins \u2014 losers of five-straight games and six of their last seven after falling to the Pirates<\/a> again Sunday \u2014 may be at the start of a tailspin they are not built to recover from.<\/p>\n That means, in a matter of weeks, Minnesota fans could yet against be looking to a future as uncertain as any in baseball history. Sure, the Twins have a lot of organizational decisions to make before players step foot on Hammond Field in Fort Myers, come February 2027.<\/p>\n Because there\u2019s no guarantee that will happen at all, as both the MLB and MLBPA brace for a likely lockout<\/a> this summer over labor disagreements. But before that happens, the Twins will go through the 2026 MLB Draft (July 11-12) and the 2026 MLB trade deadline (August 3).<\/p>\n If they can\u2019t recover from this recent stretch of losing, the Minnesota Twins will undoubtedly hit the \u201csell hard\u201d button later this summer, just like they did at last year\u2019s trade deadline. At least for now, though, that part of the future remains undecided.<\/p>\n Minnesota Twins No. 3 overall draft pick already set in stone?<\/p>\n Apparently, that is not the case when we look forward to the 2026 MLB Draft, where local insider and former MN Twins pitcher<\/a> Charley Walters<\/a> is reporting that the Twins have already decided on their next first round draft pick \u2014 which is slotted at No. 3 overall.<\/p>\n In his latest Sunday column at the Pioneer Press<\/a>, Charley writes that \u201cthere is little doubt\u201d the Twins are set on selecting Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey with the highest draft pick the Twins have held since<\/a> drafting Royce Lewis No. 1 overall in 2017.<\/p>\n There seems little doubt that the Twins, with the No. 3 overall pick in the July 11-12 amateur draft, will choose Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey.<\/p>\n Charley Walters \u2013 Pioneer Press<\/a><\/p>\n Another day. Another 110 EV for Vahn Lackey. 20 on the year. 468 feet. Hitting some absolutely nukes this weekend. pic.twitter.com\/BZ0ximpk88<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) May 31, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Will a Vahn Lackey HR cheer you up? pic.twitter.com\/sIgKkBCLbH<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Georgia Tech Baseball (@GTBaseball) May 30, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Related: Bailey Ober Becomes Latest MN Twins Starter to Hit IL<\/a><\/p>\n How good is Vahn Lackey? Some are calling the soon-to-be 21-year-old<\/a> Yellow Jacket catcher the best player in college baseball and the most talented prospect in the upcoming draft.<\/p>\n Lackey \u2014 who stands 6\u20192\u2033 and weighs in a 215 pounds \u2013 is playing in the final games of his his junior season at Georgia Tech right now \u2014 leading the No. 2 ranked team in the country to a 48-9 regular season record.<\/p>\n Vahn Lackey is so good<\/p>\n The Suwanee, GA native \u2014 who hit a 468 foot bomb to help lead the Jackets over Oklahoma Saturday in the NCAA Regionals \u2014 is batting<\/a> an absolutely absurd .412 with a 20 HR, 78 RBI and 1.332 OPS in 273 plate appearances (59 games) this season.<\/p>\n Oh, and last year in the Cape Cod league, Lackey threw out 55 of the 65 potential base stealers from behind the dish, where he also posted a .985 fielding percentage and 12.80 range factor.<\/p>\n Vahn Lackey is another elite catcher coming out of @GTBaseball<\/a> <\/p>\n Hit .347 last season. One of the more athletic catchers you\u2019ll see and has great hands behind the plate. Yellow Jackets will have one of the toughest lineups in 2026 pic.twitter.com\/vufw68nA4E<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Stephen Schoch (@bigdonkey47) December 29, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n Vahn Lackey with a LASER \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n The @GTBaseball<\/a> catcher jumped 20 spots in our 2026 draft rankings \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n (\ud83c\udfa5@GTBaseball<\/a>) \u2014 Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 28, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Related: Why MN Twins Fans Should Want MLB Salary Cap\/Floor<\/a><\/p>\n Most MLB Draft experts believe the first two draft picks off the board later this summer will be some combination of SS Grady Emerson (Fort Worth Christian High School) and UCLA SS Roch Cholowsky, though there is some debate over which guy the White Sox will take No. 1 overall.<\/p>\n Earlier this weekend<\/a>, Kiley McDaniel (ESPN)<\/a> did indeed have the Twins selecting Lackey at No. 3. It came with a disclaimer, however.<\/p>\n Because nobody seems totally sure the White Sox or Rays want to draft the high school phenom shortstop out of Texas. And if one jumps up for Lackey instead, that\u2019s who the Twins are expected to take.<\/p>\n No. 3: Minnesota Twins<\/p>\n Vahn Lackey (21.0), C, Georgia Tech<\/p>\n Just like when they had the fifth pick in a five-player top tier in 2023, and landing Walker Jenkins, the Twins are fortunate again to pick third in a three-player top tier. Lackey is the most likely outcome here.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be surprised if:\u00a0Emerson is way more likely to land here than No. 4 if he lasts this long. If the Rays take Lackey or Flora, I don\u2019t think Minnesota passes on Emerson. For what it\u2019s worth, Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian is the wild rumor\/big discount name being mentioned here, but I am not taking it seriously as an actual option yet.<\/p>\n Kiley McDaniel \u2013 ESPN<\/a><\/p>\n So, either Walters knows something others don\u2019t about who the Rays and White Sox want at No. 2 overall\u2026 or he is being hopeful that Vahn Lackey is still there at No. 3 for the Minnesota Twins. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: MLB Draft<\/a> Vahn Lackey<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Twins<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t
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