The 2026 MLB Draft is officially live from Philadelphia, and it wasted absolutely no time throwing out some shockers. Vahn Lackey, that Gwinnett County native and Georgia Tech powerhouse, just went to the Minnesota Twins as the No. 3 overall pick!
Yellow Jacket Power Dominates Early Rounds
Talk about a statement pick! This dude won the Johnny Bench Award, so you know he's a serious talent behind the plate. And get this, his Georgia Tech teammate, outfielder Drew Burress from Warner Robins, wasn't far behind. The Athletics grabbed Burress with the No. 8 overall pick! That's two Yellow Jackets in the top eight, people. Two teammates from the same school going that high? That's insane and totally tells you everything you need to know about the talent coming out of Georgia Tech right now.Georgia Talent and Braves' First Moves
The local Georgia talent train didn't stop there, either. Etowah High School's own Trevor Condon, who snagged Georgia's Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year, heard his name called early too. The St. Louis Cardinals picked him up at No. 11 overall. Seriously, the state is just pumping out ballplayers tonight! And the Atlanta Braves? They've got a busy night ahead, with five picks scheduled for Saturday. They kicked things off by drafting outfielder AJ Gracia from the University of Virginia at No. 9 overall. They're still on the clock for picks No. 26, No. 48, No. 84, and No. 112 as this first day rolls on. This first four rounds are flying by tonight, but don't even think about turning off the alerts. Rounds 5 through 20 are all set for Sunday. You know there are more huge names like Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson, a Golden Spikes Award winner, still waiting to hear their name called. This draft is far from over, and it's already been wild!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.