You gotta hear what Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress told reporters, tears streaming, right after their heartbreaking 8-7 season-ending loss to Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament Regional Round. He wasn't talking about the loss, not really. He was pointing right at his teammate, catcher Vahn Lackey, and declared, "He's the best player in the country. I have no doubt about that." That's the kind of high praise you hear when a player is truly next-level, and Lackey is absolutely living up to that hype as he heads into Saturday's MLB Draft.
This Kid's Numbers Are Absolutely Bonkers
Burress isn't just blowing smoke, folks. Lackey absolutely tore it up during his junior season, slashing an insane .397/.519/.772 with a ridiculous 1.291 OPS and hammering out 20 homers. Twenty! That's not just good, that's video game stuff. The guy earned first-team All-America honors and snagged the Johnny Bench Award, which means he was officially crowned the top catcher in college baseball. Think about that for a second. The best college catcher in the nation. It's no surprise he's projected to be a top-five pick, with CBS Sports’ final MLB Mock Draft pegging him to go No. 3 overall to the Twins. (And hey, Burress himself is projected at No. 7, so you know the talent level we're talking about here). Lackey himself put it best, saying, "I feel like every day is something new, and it's been cool to kind of just see all the stuff that I've been able to do with my name. In that aspect, it's been cool to see the progress every day."More Than Just a Great Player, He's a History Maker
But Vahn Lackey's story is bigger than just the incredible stats and the high draft pick. It's about changing the game, literally. Black catchers have become a real rarity in MLB over the last three decades. We're talking Charles Johnson largely standing alone as the everyday American-born Black catcher, with guys like Drake Baldwin only recently following that path. Lackey, who is Black, understands the weight his name carries. He's not just a ballplayer with a monster bat and a great mitt; he's a symbol, an inspiration. "It's definitely cool," he said. "I just want to give that image that really anybody can do it. That's what I like to give off, and I feel like I definitely am an inspiration to a lot of younger guys who maybe think they're not at that size yet, and then for them just to keep going, and I feel like that's really important. The Black community and baseball are so strong because, obviously, there's not many of us, and we all stay together pretty well." It's wild to think he almost didn't become a catcher; his dad stepped up when his Little League team in Suwanee, Georgia needed another option. Lackey's not just entering the pros; he's entering to make a difference. We can't wait to see this kid's journey unfold starting Saturday at the draft. He's not just chasing a dream; he's building a legacy that will inspire countless others.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.