With the February 13th opener this Friday, it’s time to round out the player preview series, with Vahn Lackey being the second to last player we’ll be specifically taking a look at.
Georgia Tech arguably is bringing the best lineup in college baseball into the 2026 season, and that is largely due to the fact that they have arguably the best catcher in college baseball. Lackey is widely regarded as a lock to be a first round draft pick this July and is currently projected to be the first catcher off the board. He ranks second on D1 Baseball’s preseason catcher rankings, is on the Golden Spikes preseason watch list, and ranks 17th on the Baseball Focus MLB Draft board.
A native to the greater Atlanta area (Collins Hill HS, Suwanee), Lackey split time at catcher as a freshman before moving into the full-time role a year ago as a sophomore. Last year was Lackey’s proverbial breakout as he posted a .347/.421/.500 slash line, good for a .921 OPS. Lackey’s defensive skills were always going to be his carrying tool, but with regular playing time in 2025, his bat was really able to take shape and help solidify himself as one of the best catchers in the nation. It was his bat paired with his elite defense that earned him a spot on the All-ACC second team as well as a Buster Posey award semifinalist nod.
It’s a hit over power approach at the moment for Lackey as he owned the team’s highest batting average last year but also one of the lowest ISO (Isolated Power) at .153. He can find hard contact at times, but doesn’t get the ball in the air often and also possesses an aggressive approach that can lead to soft contact on pitches outside of the zone. An improved approach this spring might see Lackey tap into some more power numbers. Regardless, he’s going to find a way to produce at the plate as he did last year.
An underrated aspect to Lackey’s game is his speed. Not only did he lead the Jackets in batting average in 2025, but he also led the team in stolen bases with 18. It’s not top of the line speed, but it’s certainly an above-average run tool for a catcher that plays up due to his instincts on the bases.
Defensively, you know what you’re going to get from Lackey. It’s a super strong arm with plenty of accuracy to gun down base stealers. He also moves great behind the plate, routinely blocking wild pitches and receiving well too. While he’s going to catch full-time at the professional level after he is drafted, he’ll provide some defensive versatility to this Georgia Tech roster in 2026. He appeared in 13 games at third base last year where his strong arm plays well and cat-like reflexes he has developed from playing catcher certainly help. Don’t be surprised to see Lackey getting some reps in at third base again this year, or perhaps at first base and a corner outfield spot potentially.
Headed into 2026, the Jackets success might not lay more heavily on the shoulders of anyone else than Vahn Lackey. Drew Burress has been named the captain, but Lackey is tasked with handling the pitching staff at the most demanding position while he’s also expected to produce offensively in the middle of the lineup. Another excellent season from one of the top catchers in the nation could a huge reason the Jackets return to Omaha for the first time since 2006.
More on Georgia Tech baseball:
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Georgia Tech Baseball Focus 
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