Georgia Tech’s Vahn Lackey, Drew Burress go in first 10 picks in MLB draft

Georgia Tech baseball saw its season end earlier than expected, but the Yellow Jackets also saw two of their standout players go early in Saturday’s MLB draft.

Catcher Vahn Lackey went No. 3 overall to the Twins and outfielder Drew Burress was selected eighth by the Athletics. It’s the first time Georgia Tech has had teammates selected in the first round in school history.

Lackey, at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, was a late bloomer from Suwanee, and he didn’t get any Division I college offers until his senior year at Collins Hill High School. At Tech, he became the country’s best catcher, earning the Johnny Bench Award last month.

In 61 games this season, Lackey hit .397 with 20 home runs and 85 RBIs, finished with a 1.291 OPS and added 15 stolen bases. He helped the Yellow Jackets assemble one of the best offensive lineups in country before they lost in the regionals to Oklahoma.

For the Twins, Lackey becomes their first catcher drafted in the first round since they selected Hall of Fame backstop Joe Mauer first overall in 2001.

The legacy of “Catcher U” at Georgia Tech continues, with Lackey following in the line of standout backstops that includes Jason Varitek, Matt Wieters, Joey Bart and Kevin Parada.

Burress, at 5-9, 185 pounds, had a school-record 60 career home runs in three seasons, breaking the mark Varitek set in four seasons. Burress had nine home runs in his first eight games — and packs a punch with his smaller frame.