Matt Olson Bio
Matthew Kent Olson (born March 29, 1994) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Olson is a power hitter and award-winning defender who has played in MLB since his debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2016.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Kent Olson was born in Lilburn, Georgia, and grew up the second son of Scott and Lee Olson. His father coached youth baseball, and Olson played at Parkview High School in Lilburn, where he was a standout first baseman and pitcher. He finished his high school career with a .431 batting average, 45 home runs and school and county records for runs batted in.
Olson graduated from Parkview High School with honors in 2012 after helping lead the Parkview Panthers to back-to-back state championships in 2011 and 2012. He had committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University but signed with the Oakland Athletics after the 2012 MLB Draft, foregoing his college commitment.
Path to Baseball
Olson was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional career the same year in the Arizona League and with the Vermont Lake Monsters, showing early power with nine home runs in 50 games. Olson progressed through Oakland’s minor league system over the next four seasons.
He played for the Beloit Snappers in 2013, the Stockton Ports in 2014 where he hit 37 home runs and demonstrated strong plate discipline, and the Midland RockHounds in 2015. Olson spent 2016 in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds before his contract was purchased by Oakland and he was called up to the major league club in September 2016.
Matt Olson Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Olson made his MLB debut with the Oakland Athletics in September 2016 and appeared in 11 games that season. He split time between Triple-A Nashville and Oakland in 2017, hitting 24 home runs in 59 major league games and showing the power that would define his profile as a first baseman.
In 2017 Olson set a rookie-era mark for late-season power production with 13 home runs in September and displayed a patient approach at the plate throughout his time in the Athletics’ system. His 2017 performance established him as a regular major league contributor heading into the following seasons.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2018–2021)
Olson spent all of 2018 with the Oakland Athletics and played all 162 games that season. He hit his first career walk-off RBI single on April 18, 2018, and his first career walk-off home run on August 17, 2018. Olson finished 2018 with 29 home runs and 84 RBIs and earned his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award for his work at first base.
In 2019 Olson again distinguished himself defensively and offensively, finishing the season with a .267 average and strong defensive metrics that led to a second consecutive Gold Glove Award. He underwent surgery to remove the hamate bone early in the 2019 season and returned to the lineup in May. Olson continued to lead Oakland in power production during shortened and full seasons through 2021, including a 39-home run campaign in 2021 that earned him his first All-Star selection and participation in the Home Run Derby.
Atlanta Braves Era (2022–Present)
On March 14, 2022, the Athletics traded Olson to the Atlanta Braves. The Braves signed him to an eight-year contract extension the following day, a deal that runs from 2022 through 2030 and was reported at $168 million. Olson immediately became a core piece of Atlanta’s lineup and appeared in all 162 games for the Braves in 2022.
With Atlanta, Olson continued to combine power and glovework. He produced a historic 2023 offensive season in which he led the National League in home runs and runs batted in, set franchise records for single-season home runs and RBIs, and won the Silver Slugger Award for first basemen. Through June 23, 2026, Olson’s major league totals include 1,236 hits, 308 home runs and 860 RBIs, with a .258 batting average.
Driving Style and Strengths
Olson profiles as a right-handed power hitter with above-average plate discipline and strong strike-zone control, traits evident in his minor-league walk rates and sustained slugging in the majors. Defensively, he is regarded as one of the premier first basemen of his generation, earning multiple Gold Glove and Fielding Bible Awards for his range, footwork and ability to convert difficult plays.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include Olson’s multi-Gold Glove recognition, the 2023 season in which he led the National League in home runs and RBIs and set Braves single-season marks, and multiple All-Star selections. He recorded his 1,000th career hit on April 19, 2025, and earned his first National League Gold Glove that same season while continuing to be a middle-of-the-order run producer.
Matt Olson Career Wins
Olson’s career accomplishments center on offensive production and defensive excellence rather than traditional pitching wins. He has accumulated over 300 career home runs and has been the recipient of multiple defensive and offensive awards, including three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award and multiple Fielding Bible Awards. Those awards reflect both individual game impact and season-long consistency.
MLB Highlights
Olson was a three-time MLB All-Star in 2021, 2023, and 2025, and he won Gold Glove Awards in 2018, 2019 and 2025. His 2023 season stands out: he led the National League in home runs and RBIs, reached 50 home runs that year, and received the Silver Slugger Award for first basemen.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Across minor- and major-league service time, Olson has delivered multiple high-impact weeks and months, including late-season surges and walk-off moments in 2018. His minor-league track record includes a 37-home run season at Stockton in 2014 and consistent power totals at each stop on his way to the majors.
Matt Olson Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Olson is the son of Scott and Lee Olson; his father served as a youth baseball coach. His older brother, Zack Olson, pitched for the Harvard Crimson. The family’s involvement in youth baseball helped shape Matt Olson’s early development and competitive foundation.
Personal Life
Olson married Nicole in November 2021. The couple resides in Atlanta, Georgia, and their eldest son was born in December 2024. Olson has been involved in charitable work through team and community initiatives and was the Atlanta Braves’ 2023 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season saw Olson reach several personal milestones and continue to anchor Atlanta’s lineup. He recorded his 1,000th career hit on April 19, 2025, made the 2025 All-Star Game as a reserve, and won his first Gold Glove Award in the National League, the third Gold Glove of his career overall. Late in the 2025 season he was ejected for the first time in his major league career after disputing a ruling, an unusual moment in an otherwise steady professional record.
Across his tenure with the Braves, Olson remains a central figure in the club’s middle-of-the-order plans and defensive alignment at first base, under an eight-year contract that extends through 2030. His combination of power, run production and elite defensive metrics keeps him among the most impactful first basemen in the game.