Matt Olson Bio
Matthew Kent Olson, known professionally as Matt Olson, is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). A first baseman, Olson has been recognized for both his power at the plate and his elite defense, earning three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award, and four Fielding Bible Awards during his career. He has been selected to the MLB All-Star Game three times and led the major leagues in home runs and runs batted in during the 2023 season.
Olson was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft out of high school and made his major league debut with the team in 2016. After six seasons in Oakland, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 2022 season and signed a long-term contract extension to remain in Atlanta.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Kent Olson was born on March 29, 1994, in Lilburn, Georgia, United States. He is the second son of Scott Olson and Lee Olson. His father, Scott, served as the youth baseball coach for his sons through their early playing years, helping shape Olson’s first exposure to the sport within a family setting rooted in the game.
Olson attended Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia, where he played first base and pitched for the Parkview Panthers. He led the program to back-to-back state championships in 2011 and 2012 and finished his high school career with a .431 batting average, 44 doubles, 45 home runs, 168 runs batted in, and a fielding percentage above .980. He holds the Parkview High School and Gwinnett County records for career wins and runs batted in, and the school retired his uniform number 21 in February 2019.
Olson graduated from high school with honors in 2012. He had committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University but elected to forgo that commitment after being selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft by the Oakland Athletics. His older brother, Zack, later pitched for the Harvard Crimson.
Path to Baseball
Olson’s path to professional baseball was built on a strong high school foundation in Georgia, where his combination of power hitting and pitching made him a top amateur prospect. His back-to-back state titles and his production at Parkview High School helped establish him as a polished hitter entering the draft, and his selection in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft confirmed his standing as one of the top first-base prospects of his class.
After signing with Oakland, Olson began working his way through the Athletics’ minor league system. He made his professional debut in 2012 with the Arizona League Athletics and the Vermont Lake Monsters, hitting .282 with nine home runs and 45 runs batted in across 50 games. He spent the 2013 season with the Beloit Snappers, the 2014 season with the Stockton Ports, the 2015 season with the Midland RockHounds, and the 2016 season with the Nashville Sounds, developing his power approach and plate discipline along the way.
During the 2014 season with Stockton, Olson batted .262 with 37 home runs and 97 runs batted in, leading all minor leaguers with 500 or more plate appearances with an 18.5% walk percentage. That blend of power and patience defined his prospect profile and set the stage for his major league call-up.
Matt Olson Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
The Oakland Athletics purchased Olson’s contract on September 12, 2016, and he made his major league debut that same year, appearing in 11 games. The following season, in 2017, Olson split time between the Nashville Sounds and Oakland. With Nashville, he batted .272 with 23 home runs and 60 runs batted in, while with Oakland he hit .259 with 24 home runs and 45 runs batted in across 59 games.
Olson closed 2017 on a strong run at the major league level, hitting 13 home runs in September, which set a franchise rookie record. He also homered in five consecutive games, tying for the third-most home runs by a player in his first 65 career games in MLB history, signaling his arrival as a middle-of-the-order power bat.
Oakland Athletics Tenure (2018–2021)
Olson played all 162 games during the 2018 season and produced 29 home runs and 84 runs batted in while batting .247. On April 18, 2018, he delivered his first career walk-off hit, an RBI single in a 12–11 comeback win over the Chicago White Sox, and later that year he hit his first walk-off home run against the Houston Astros on August 17. He also hit his first career grand slam in a 9–3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on September 26. That season, Olson earned his first Gold Glove Award, leading all American League first basemen with 14 defensive runs saved and an 11.6 ultimate zone rating.
The 2019 season began with Olson playing in both games of the Opening Series in Tokyo, Japan, before a hand injury required surgery to remove the hamate bone. He returned on May 7 and went on to bat .267 with a .351 on-base percentage and a .545 slugging percentage, finishing with 13 defensive runs saved, the top mark among major league first basemen. He received his second consecutive Gold Glove Award for his defense.
On July 24, 2020, Olson hit the first Opening Day walk-off grand slam in MLB since 1986, and he went on to lead the Oakland A’s in games played, home runs, and runs batted in during the shortened 2020 campaign. In 2021, he led the team in games played, hits, home runs, runs batted in, and walks, while ranking second in batting average and on-base percentage. He was selected to the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby, and was a finalist for both the Silver Slugger Award and the Gold Glove Award.
Atlanta Braves Era (2022–Present)
On March 14, 2022, the Oakland Athletics traded Olson to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, Joey Estes, and Ryan Cusick. The following day, Olson signed an eight-year, $168 million contract extension, which at the time of the announcement was the largest contract in franchise history, surpassing the eight-year, $135 million deal Freddie Freeman had signed in 2014. He joined a Braves team coming off a World Series championship and slotted into the everyday first base role.
Olson appeared in all 162 games of the 2022 regular season, one of only two players in MLB to do so that year alongside teammate Dansby Swanson. In 2023, he was selected to the All-Star Game as a reserve, hit his 40th home run on August 10 to set a franchise record for the fastest 40-homer season, and on September 11 became the second member of the Braves’ 50 home run club, joining Andruw Jones in 2005. He finished 2023 with 54 home runs, setting the live-ball era franchise single-season record for runs batted in, and won the National League Silver Slugger Award for first basemen.
On April 19, 2025, Olson recorded his 1,000th career hit against the Minnesota Twins, and he was selected to the 2025 All-Star Game as a reserve. On September 27, 2025, he was ejected for the first time in his career after arguing a batter interference call during the penultimate game of the regular season. At season’s end, Olson won his first National League Gold Glove Award and his third Gold Glove overall, capping a year that reinforced his standing as one of the premier two-way first basemen in the game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Olson’s signature moments include becoming only the second Braves player ever to hit 50 home runs in a season, setting the franchise’s live-ball era single-season runs batted in record with 54 home runs in 2023, and delivering the first Opening Day walk-off grand slam in MLB since 1986 while with Oakland. His 1,000th career hit came in April 2025, and his third Gold Glove Award arrived at the close of that same season, underscoring his sustained excellence.
Matt Olson Career Wins
Across both the American League and National League, Matt Olson has built a career defined by power, plate discipline, and Gold Glove-caliber defense. With the Oakland Athletics and the Atlanta Braves, he has combined to hit 308 career home runs and drive in 859 runs through the period covered by the most recent data, while earning multiple All-Star selections and postseason hardware.
MLB Highlights
Olson’s major league career began in 2016 with Oakland and accelerated with his record-setting September 2017, when his 13 home runs set a franchise rookie mark. His 2018 season featured his first Gold Glove Award, and in 2021 he reached his first MLB All-Star Game and competed in the Home Run Derby. In 2023, he led the major leagues in home runs and runs batted in, won the National League Silver Slugger Award, and broke the Braves’ live-ball era single-season runs batted in record.
Other Wins and Performances
Olson has earned additional recognition through four Fielding Bible Awards, presented annually to the best defensive player at each position, reflecting his consistency as a first baseman. He was also the Atlanta Braves’ 2023 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, recognizing his character and community involvement.
Matt Olson Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Matt Olson is the son of Scott Olson and Lee Olson, and he has an older brother, Zack Olson, who later pitched for the Harvard Crimson. His father, Scott, coached both of his sons in youth baseball through their early years, embedding the game into family life and helping nurture Matt’s development as a first baseman and pitcher. That family foundation, paired with a strong high school program at Parkview, helped launch his professional path.
Personal Life
Olson married his wife, Nicole Olson, in November 2021, and the couple resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Their eldest son was born in December 2024, and the family has made Atlanta their home base during his tenure with the Braves. Olson is involved with ReClif, a treatment and fitness center for people on the autism spectrum, and was the Braves’ 2023 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
2025 Season Performance
Matt Olson’s 2025 season reaffirmed his place among the National League’s most reliable first basemen, as he was selected to the All-Star Game as a reserve and reached the 1,000-career-hit milestone on April 19 against the Minnesota Twins. He continued to be a middle-of-the-order presence for the Atlanta Braves, pairing run production with his usual Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.
Defensively, Olson’s 2025 campaign culminated in his first National League Gold Glove Award and his third Gold Glove overall, an award that recognized his work at first base throughout the season. The honor reflected his continued leadership in defensive metrics and his value as a steady presence on the right side of the Braves’ infield.
Late in the 2025 regular season, Olson was ejected for the first time in his career on September 27 during the penultimate game of the year, underscoring his intensity even in games with limited playoff implications. With his contract extension running through the 2030 season, Olson’s role as a foundational piece of the Atlanta Braves remains firmly in place heading into 2026.
