Matt Olson’s – From a Vanderbilt commitment to a 2012 first-round draft pick, Matt Olson built his reputation with the Athletics before his move to Atlanta turned him into one of baseball’s most reliable first basemen—defined as much by production as by the fact he keeps sho
The résumé doesn’t start with a home run.
It starts with showing up.
Matt Olson was already a Georgia baseball legend before he ever reached the majors. At Parkview High School, he stood out enough to draw a commitment to Vanderbilt. But when he was selected in the first round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Athletics, he chose professional baseball.
Over five seasons with the Athletics, Olson ranked inside the top ten among qualified first basemen in slugging percentage (.511), wRC+ (132), home runs (142), hard-hit rate (49.4%), and fWAR (14.2). The numbers mattered—but the jump to the next level came faster than most could predict.
Once traded to Atlanta, Olson’s first season felt quiet by his standards. He posted a 3.1 fWAR season with an .802 OPS and 121 wRC+. Then 2023 arrived, and it didn’t just raise his output—it rewrote it. He exploded for career highs with 139 RBIs and 54 home runs. finishing with a .604 slugging percentage while powering one of the most historic offenses baseball has seen.
From 2022 through the 2025 season, Olson established himself as a top two first baseman in baseball right alongside Freddie Freeman. He earned two All-Star selections during that stretch, and he added both a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove. Yet the most impressive part may not be the awards at all.
Olson played in all 162 games in each of those four seasons.
That kind of consistency turns a star into a fixture. It’s also why Atlanta’s lineup has felt steadier than it has any right to be—because the production isn’t just big when it comes. It keeps coming.
Through the first 56 games of the 2026 season, Olson has not shown any signs of slowing down. He’s slashing .259/.341/.546 with an .888 OPS, a 145 wRC+, and he already sits at 2.3 fWAR.
When the numbers are broken down further, the same story holds. The underlying metrics fully support the production: Olson ranks in the 90th-percentile or better in expected slugging percentage, average exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit rate.
There’s also a stark detail buried in his at-bats this year. There is not a single pitch type this season against which Olson owns a negative run value. He has produced at least a .250 average. .500 slugging percentage. and .850 OPS against both right-handed and left-handed pitching. though his numbers against righties are stronger as expected.
And it’s not only the bat. Defensively, Olson ranks eighth across all of the MLB with +7 OAA. Among first basemen, the next highest is Michael Busch with +4 OAA.
Even in a sport built on streaks and variance, the pattern is hard to miss. Olson’s game—at the plate and at first base—keeps landing in the same place: high-level impact, and year after year, without the excuses that usually come with star power.
Matt Olson Atlanta Braves first baseman MLB Parkview High School Vanderbilt 2012 MLB Draft Athletics All-Star Silver Slugger Gold Glove 2023 RBIs 54 home runs 2026 season fWAR OAA
So he’s good at first base and also like… never stops? Idk why they made it sound like a whole movie.
Freddie Freeman is the real first baseman lol. But yeah I guess Olson is good too. The article says he keeps sho?? what does that even mean.
I didn’t even know first base was “standing out” like that. Sounds like he just hits a lot and plays forever. Also 162 games each season… doesn’t that mean they’re basically cheating and never get injured? Feels sus to me.
Vanderbilt to the majors, ok classic story. But the part about 2012 draft pick like why mention Athletics if he’s with Atlanta now? Makes no sense to me, like they’re talking about two different guys. Still though, 54 homers?? That’s wild.