Matthew Kent Olson was originally signed by A's scout Matt Ranson…graduated from Parkview High (GA) School in 2012…was drafted 47th overall as compensation for the loss of free agent David DeJesus.
2017
The 23-year-old rookie batted .259 with 24 home runs and 45 RBI in 59 games over six stints with the A's…added 22 walks for a .352 on-base percentage…slugged .651 and had a 1.003 OPS… the slugging percentage was fourth highest in Oakland history among players with 200 or more plate appearances and the OPS was ninth best…tied for third among American League rookies in home runs and ranked eighth in RBI…his 24 home runs were third most in Athletics history by a rookie and the most since Mark McGwire set the record with 49 in 1987…they were the most by an Athletic 23 years old or younger since Eric Chavez hit 32 as a 23-year old in 2001…added 23 home runs with Nashville and is the first player to hit 20 home runs in both the majors and the minors since Giancarlo Stanton in 2010 (22 with Florida, 21 with Jacksonville)…averaged 7.88 at bats per home run, which was fourth fewest in ML history among players with a minimum of 200 plate appearances…had more home runs (24) than singles (23)…the home runs were second most in Athletics history (McGwire, 39 homers and 35 singles in 1995) and eighth most in ML history among players with more home runs than singles…49.0% of his hits were home runs, which is the second highest percentage in ML history among players with 200 or more plate appearances (McGwire, STL, 51.8% in 2001)…had just two doubles, which are the fewest in ML history by a player with 20 or more home runs (previous: 4 by Wes Covington, 1957 and Mark McGwire, 2001)…has 24 home runs in 70 career games, which are third most by a Major Leaguer over his first 70 games since at least 1913…had five separate stints over the first four months of the season and hit .196 with four home runs and nine RBI in 18 games…following the Yonder Alonso trade, he was recalled for a sixth time Aug. 8 and batted .283 with 20 home runs and 36 RBI in 41 games before a hamstring strain on Sept. 24 ended his season with a week remaining… the 20 home runs were the most in the AL and tied for second most in the majors over that span (Aug. 8-Sept. 24)…hit 20 home runs after the All-Star Break, which tied for fifth in the AL…it was second most among ML rookies (Judge, NYY 22)…hit .280 (40-for-143) with 20 of his 24 home runs against right-handed pitching, .196 (9-for-46) against left-handers…slugged .713 against righties, .457 against lefties…batted .318 during the day, .208 at night…hit .290 at home, .229 on the road…batted .217 with runners in scoring position, including .163 with RISP and two outs… was 0-for-7 with a walk with the bases loaded…started 38 games at first base (including each of his 36 starts during his final stint) and 10 in right field…committed two errors, both at first base for a .995 fielding percentage…had three assists in 12 games as an outfielder…the A's had a 26-22 (.542) record with him in the starting lineup, 49-65 (.430) without.
OAKLAND: Was recalled for the first time April 21 and went 0-for-3 in a start in right field against Seattle April 23 before he was optioned to Nashville April 27…also appeared in just one game during his second stint from June 3-4, delivering a pinch hit bases loaded walk in the ninth inning on the 4th against Washington…went 0-for-6 with a walk in four games during his third stint from June 10-13…recalled for a fourth time June 22 and hit .225 with four home runs and eight RBI in 10 games…hit his first Major League home run June 24 at Chicago (AL), a two-run shot off James Shields in the first inning…added another two-run homer in the seventh inning for his first career multi-homer game…had four RBI, which is a career high…went 1-for-2 in two games during his fifth stint from July 21-23…was recalled for good Aug. 8 and hit .283 with 20 home runs and 36 RBI over his final 41 games…homered in three straight games for the first time in his career Aug. 11-13…did it again Aug. 27-30 and Sept. 3-5…also homered in five consecutive games from Sept. 15-19 to tie the ML rookie record for consecutive games with a home run…was the first Oakland player to do it and the second Athletic (George Alusik, Aug. 7-11, 1962)…homered in each of his final nine series from Aug. 25 to Sept. 24…is the only rookie in Major League history with 15 home runs over a 21-game stretch (Aug. 27-Sept. 19) and 16 home runs over a 23-game span (Aug. 27-Sept. 22)…his 15 home runs over 21 games are the most by any player in Oakland history…matched bests by Reggie Jackson in 1969 with 13 home runs over 18 games from Sept. 3-22 and 16 home runs over 23 games from Aug. 27-Sept. 22…had his first career three-hit game Aug. 27 against Texas…hit .305 with seven home runs and 14 RBI in 19 games in August…led AL rookies and tied for second among ML rookies in August home runs…then hit 266 with 13 home runs and 22 RBI in 22 games in September…the home runs were second most in ML history by a rookie in the month of September to Aaron Judge, who had 15 in 2017…they tied for second most by a rookie in any month over the last 30 seasons (Bellinger, LAD 13 in June 2017)…they tied for the most by any Athletics player in September (Jason Giambi, 2000)…ranked second in the AL in home runs in September and tied for eighth in RBI, despite missing the final week of the season…had his second career two-homer game Sept. 4 against Los Angeles (AL)…homered nine times over a 12-game stretch from Sept. 9 (Game 2)-22…was hit by a pitch in three consecutive games from Sept. 10-13, matching the longest such streak by an Athletic over the last 41 years (third time, last: Olmedo Saenz, May 4-6, 2001)…strained his hamstring Sept. 24 against Texas and missed the final seven games of the season.
NASHVILLE: Was named the A's Organization Hitter of the Year after batting .272 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 79 games with Nashville…added 45 walks for a .367 on-base percentage… slugged a minor league career high .568…was tied for fifth in the Pacific Coast League in home runs at the time of his final promotion to Oakland on Aug. 8…hit .293 (68-for-232) with 19 of his 23 home runs against right-handed pitchers, .194 (12-for-62) against left-handers…had a .995 OPS against righties, .707 against lefties…batted .344 on the road, .215 at home…had a .442 onbase percentage on the road and reached base safely in all 34 of his road games, which was the longest such streak in the PCL…had a .333 batting average and .403 on-base percentage when leading off an inning…hit .162 with RISP and two outs…appeared in 73 games at first base, six at designated hitter and one at third base…made two errors at first base for a .997 fielding percentage…saw most of his playing time batting third (47 games)…was hitting .216 in 14 games at the time of his first promotion to Oakland April 21…returned to Nashville April 28 and had his first of two four-hit games the next day against New Orleans (also May 21 at Sacramento)…slugged his first two-homer game of the season May 13 against Albuquerque…had a season-best 10-game hitting streak from May 15 to 25…went 17-for-45 (.378) with six doubles, four home runs and 14 RBI during the streak…had an extra base hit in each of the first nine games during the streak… struck out a season-high four times May 26 against Omaha…finished the month of May with nine home runs and 26 RBI in 29 games…then had his second two-homer game with the Sounds
2016
Made his Major League debut with Oakland as a September call-up and went 2-for-21 (.095) in 11 games…added seven walks for a .321 on-base percentage…went 2-for-18 (.111) against right-handed pitchers, 0-for-3 against lefties…appeared in five games (four starts) in right field and four games (two starts) at first base…did not commit an error…also went 0-for-4 as a pinch hitter…was selected from Triple-A Nashville Sept. 12 following the conclusion of the Sounds season…made his debut that day at Kansas City and walked as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning…become the first player drafted by the A's out of high school to reach the majors with Oakland since Trevor Cahill (2nd round in 2006, debut in 2009) and the first non-pitcher since Eric Chavez (1st round 1996, debut in 1998)…went 0-for-3 with two walks in his first start (first base) Sept. 15 against the Royals…singled off Nick Martinez in the third inning Sept. 25 against Texas for his first Major League hit…his first extra base hit was a double in his final game on Oct. 2 at Seattle.
2015
Made his Double-A debut with Midland and spent the entire season with the RockHounds, batting .249 with 17 home runs and 75 RBI in 133 games…added 105 walks for a .388 on-base percentage…ranked second in all of minor league baseball in walks to teammate Colin Walsh (124)…had career highs in doubles (37), stolen bases (5), hit by pitches (6) and sacrifice flies (8)…tied for the Texas League lead in intentional walks (6), ranked second in walks, tied for second in extra base hits (54) and strikeouts (139), third in doubles, RBI and on-base percentage, fourth in runs (82), tied for fourth in home runs, fifth in games and tied for ninth in hit by pitches…ranked second in the A's farm system in walks and on-base percentage, tied for second in extra base hits, third in doubles, tied for third in RBI, fourth in runs and home runs, eighth in slugging percentage (.438) and ninth in total bases (204)…named to the Texas League Midseason All-Star Team and the All-Star Futures Game…hit .260 against right-handed pitching compared to .219 against left-handers…had a .217 batting average during the first half, .281 in the second half…hit .282 with runners in scoring position but that marked dropped to .167 with RISP and two outs…belted 11 of his 17 home runs with runners on base…appeared in 62 games at first base, 59 in right field and two at third base…made three errors as a first baseman (.995 fielding percentage) and four as an outfielder (.974)…also had 11 outfield assists, which tied for fourth in the TL…saw hit most action with 44 games hitting cleanup and 43 batting sixth…reached base safely via hit or walk in 116 of his 133 games…got off to a fast start as he hit .276 with six home runs, 16 RBI and 18 walks (.442 on-base percentage) over his first 18 games through April 28… reached base safely in 21 consecutive games from April 20 to May 12…hit .240 with a .404 onbase percentage during the streak…singled and walked a season-high four times in five plate appearance June 14 against Frisco…started at designated hitter for the South All-Stars in the Texas League All-Star Game at Corpus Christi June 30 and went 0-for-4…went 1-for-2 for the United States team in the All-Star Futures Game at Cincinnati July 12…had his only two homer game of the season and collected a season-high five RBI July 27 at Frisco…reached base safely in each of his final 20 regular season games beginning Aug. 15…hit .309 with a .453 on-base percentage over that span…that included a season-high and season-ending 10-game hitting streak beginning Aug. 28 (14-for-32, .438)…batted .185 with a home run and four RBI in seven postseason games for the Texas League Champion RockHounds…was rated as the A's sixth best prospect by Baseball America following the season.
2014
Was named to the California League Postseason All-Star Team after batting .262 with 37 home runs and 98 RBI in 138 games…added 117 walks for a .404 on-base percentage…the walks were the most in all of the minor leagues and the home runs were third best behind Kris Bryant (43) and Joey Gallo (42)…also ranked third in the minors in runs (111), fifth in total bases (278) and tied for sixth in extra base hits (69)…was named to the Baseball America Minor League All-Star Team…led the Cal League in home runs, runs, walks, extra base hits and total bases, tied for the lead in games, ranked third in RBI and on-base percentage, sixth in slugging percentage (.543), tied for sixth in strikeouts (137) and 10th in doubles (31)…topped the A's farm system in home runs, RBI, runs, walks, extra base hits, total bases and slugging percentage, ranked second in on-base percentage, fifth in doubles and sixth in hits (134)…his 37 home runs were third best by an A's farmhand since the club moved to Oakland in 1968 (39, Adam Piatt in 1999 and Chris Carter in 2008)…hit .288 with 22 home runs and 61 RBI in 70 games after the All-Star Break… batted .265 with 30 of his 37 home runs against right-handed pitching compared to .252 against left-handers…had a .318 batting average and .421 on-base percentage when leading off an inning…appeared in 107 games at first base, eight in right field and one in left field…led CL first basemen in fielding percentage (.993)…reached base safely in 21 consecutive games from May 8 to 29…hit .296 with a .436 on-base percentage during the streak…had his first of four two-homer games May 13 against San Jose…had three two-homer games over a nine-game stretch from June 19 to 27…was 14-for-36 (.389) with 14 runs, three doubles, eight home runs and 15 RBI over that span…went 5-for-6 with a double, two home runs and five RBI June 19 against Bakersfield… one of the home runs was a grand slam…added two more two-homer games in June on the 22nd against Bakersfield and the 26th at Bakersfield…hit 10 home runs in June, which tied for second most in the minors…went 3-for-7 (.429) with two doubles, two walks and a RBI in two postseason games for Stockton…then played for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League following the season and hit .257 with a .435 on-base percentage, four home runs and eight RBI in 11 games…was named to the AFL Top Prospects Team at first base and played in the AFL Fall Stars Game…was rated by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in the A's farm system.
2013
Spent the entire season at Single-A Beloit where he hit .225 with 23 home runs and 93 RBI in 134 games…added 72 walks for a .326 on-base percentage…ranked second in the Midwest League in home runs and RBI, third in extra base hits (55), fifth in walks and tied for 10th in doubles (32)…also tied for the league lead in games and ranked second in strikeouts (148)…was named to ML Midseason All-Star Team…ranked second in the A's farm system in home runs, RBI and extra base hits, tied for fourth in doubles, seventh in walks and ninth in total bases (209)… hit .241 against right-handed pitching compared to .180 against left-handers…hit .373 with runners in scoring position and two outs…appeared in 127 games at first base and was named the best defensive first baseman in the ML by Baseball America…led league first baseman in games, total chances (1220), putouts (1109) and assists (102) and tied for the lead in double plays (97)… committed nine errors for a .993 fielding percentage…batted .429 with four home runs and 16 RBI over a 16-game stretch from April 25 to May 10…had his first of two two-homer games Aug. 11 at Burlington…was named Midwest League Player of the Week for the week of Aug. 19-25 after going 11-for-29 (.379) with eight runs scored, five doubles, five home runs, 12 RBI and four multiple hit games in seven games…had his second two-homer game of the season Aug. 21 at Kane County…tied for second in all of minor league baseball with 10 home runs in August…added 30 RBI in 28 games…went 1-for-16 (.063) with a double, RBI and four walks in five postseason games for the Snappers.
2012
Batted .282 with nine home runs and 45 RBI in 50 games with the A's affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League and Short Season Single-A Vermont…ranked second in the Arizona League in home runs (8) and fourth in doubles (16) and RBI…hit .283 with eight of his nine home runs and 36 of his 45 RBI against right-handed pitching compared to .278 against left-handers…appeared in 40 games at first base and one at catcher…went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, four RBI and four runs scored in his professional debut June 24 at the Indians…had a season-best 10- game hitting streak from Aug. 12 to 25…went 14-for-39 (.359) with three home runs and 12 RBI during the streak…homered in his first game with Vermont Sept. 2 against Tri-City…was named the A's No. 10 prospect by Baseball America following the season.
