The Boston Red Sox have found their answer for a long-term catcher in Carlos Narvaez, but at the moment, they have no viable backups. They traded away their top catching prospect in Kyle Teel for Garrett Crochet, and with Connor Wong having a horrendous season, it may be time to look for a new backup.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter believes they will, and it’ll be in the 2026 MLB Draft. In his mock draft, he has the Sox selecting Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey with the 19th pick.
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“After logging just 103 plate appearances as a freshman and struggling in the Northwoods League, Lackey turned in a breakout sophomore season, hitting .347/.421/.500 with 21 extra-base hits and 18 steals. He is also a polished defender behind the plate and was the catcher for the Collegiate National Team this summer, putting him in position to be the first backstop off the board in 2026,” Reuter wrote.
Lackey would be the second prospect the Sox have taken from Georgia Tech in the past few years, with Kristian Campbell being the first.
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Lackey would be a great backup to Narvaez down the road. As long as his production translates to the majors, Lackey would get to learn from Narvaez and eventually take his place.
Hopefully Lackey falls to the Sox, as he could be the answer they need for a backup behind the dish.
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