Dale Zanine-Imagn Photographs
Matt Olson is having an impressive profession. Since breaking into the large leagues late within the 2016 season, the 31-year-old first baseman has blasted 273 residence runs — together with 54 in 2023 — whereas logging a 132 wRC+. A left-handed hitter, he’s garnered two All-Star nods, two Gold Gloves, and one Silver Slugger award. Initially with the Oakland Athletics, Olson has worn an Atlanta Braves uniform since they acquired him through commerce in March 2022.
He was a promising-yet-polarizing prospect when Kiley McDaniel ranked him second behind Franklin Barreto on our 2015 Athletics High Prospect listing. Olson’s uncooked energy was apparent, however there have been additionally query marks. Whereas some scouts have been bullish on his future, others had their reservations. Drafted forty seventh general in 2012 out of Parkview Excessive College in Lilburn, Georgia, Olson had a level of boom-or-bust in his profile.
What did Olson’s February 2015 FanGraphs scouting report seem like? Furthermore, what does he give it some thought all these years later? Wanting to search out out, I shared a few of what McDaniel wrote and requested Olson to reply to it.
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“Olson has some pedigree as a former sandwich select of an Atlanta-area highschool.”
“When you get into professional ball it doesn’t matter an excessive amount of,” Olson mentioned. “On the identical time, organizationally they sort of care extra concerning the funding that’s put into a man than the participant truly taking part in the sport. So far as (having signed out of highschool), you’re solely taking part in 50 video games in faculty, versus 140 within the minors. As a hitter, I believe it may be helpful to get on the market and get the day in, day trip a little bit bit sooner.”
“He had an enormous 12 months within the Cal league final 12 months and he has some huge instruments, headlined by simple plus energy from the left aspect.”
“Yeah, that’s been part of my recreation for awhile,” acknowledged Olson, who has 14 residence runs and a 127 wRC+ within the present marketing campaign. “Clearly it helps once you’re taking part in within the Cal League; the ball jumps out of there for probably the most half.”
“It boils right down to considerations concerning the bat. He walked a ton final 12 months, however Olson has solely common bat velocity and the Cal league is tremendous hitter pleasant.”
“Like I simply mentioned, yeah, tremendous pleasant,” he replied. “The bat velocity… I don’t know. It’s truthfully not a factor that I pay an excessive amount of consideration to. However for guys with greater, longer limbs, it is going to seem like it’s not transferring as shortly. We simply performed James Wooden (and the Washington Nationals). If you happen to watch him swing, it’s fairly simple, however when he connects he will get it 110 (mph) oppo for a homer. I’ve had sufficient bat velocity to get some balls over the fence.”
“Some scouts assume Olson cheats a bit and could also be a mistake hitter, feasting on unhealthy pitches late in counts, which come much less and fewer usually as you go up the chain.”
“How can I reply that?” the achieved slugger responded. “Guys must do their jobs and attempt to predict issues for the longer term. I’m attempting to place myself again in that period to… I’ve by no means checked out myself as a man who needed to cheat to (get to) pitches. In my thoughts, I’ve at all times been capable of react and take the ball the place it must go.”
“Olson was into the low-90s on the mound in highschool and has a stable common arm, so the A’s tried him in proper subject a bit final 12 months.”
“That was extra in order that first base was sort of logged in a little bit bit, within the group,” Olson recalled. “I believe they have been sort of simply discovering methods to maintain me within the lineup. I by no means actually performed a lot outfield. I’m not the quickest man, so I’m in all probability not monitoring down the identical variety of balls as Mike Harrishowever I used to be fairly sure-handed with what I might get to. They got here to me with it and I figured it could possibly be one other membership in my bag that might assist me going ahead.
“A far as (pitching), most individuals needed me as a hitter. I used to be dedicated to Vanderbilt, they usually had mentioned that two-way was a chance. I don’t understand how a lot fact there was to that — it might have been a recruiting pitch — however it’s one thing that I’d have needed to do had I gone to varsity. I at all times actually loved pitching, sort of being the man in management on the mound. However there have been positively guys with higher arms, extra explosive arms, than mine.”
“Some scouts assume the physique is gentle and don’t assume he’s an important athlete or defender, whereas others aren’t involved and assume he’s above common defensively at first base.”
“Protection has at all times been one thing that I delight myself on,” the slick-fielding Olson mentioned. “If you happen to put me in a weight room, or have me do a vertical-jump check, I’m not going to be a man that wows you by any means, however I’ve at all times had fairly good footwork for a man my dimension. The coaching stuff is one thing I’ve needed to be on prime of a little bit greater than different individuals. You’ve bought to know your weaknesses and keep on them. I believe I’ve turned myself into any person who can transfer fairly nicely and make up for the place the athleticism may lack.
“My physique did want work. I didn’t begin getting within the weight room and all that, on a strict program, till in all probability my junior 12 months of highschool. Rising up, my dad’s perception was to be an athlete. You set a basketball, a soccer, or a golf membership in my arms, I’m going to look fairly easy doing it, however so far as precise power coaching and velocity — that sort of stuff — I used to be a little bit little bit of a late bloomer.”
“Stories I’ve acquired on Olson have had the widest hole of anybody within the course of apart from Colin Moranin order that makes it inherently attention-grabbing to observe his growth within the coming years.”
“Moran was within the Cal League as nicely,” Olson recalled. “So yeah, perhaps some individuals put further weight into the league — how the ball flew there — and didn’t know whether or not to belief it or not. What they thought wasn’t one thing I paid an excessive amount of consideration to, although. I do know that I had that belief.”
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Earlier “Outdated Scouting Stories Revisited” interviews could be discovered by way of these hyperlinks: Cody Bellinger, Matthew Boyd, Dylan Stop, Matt Chapman, Erick Fedde, Kyle Freeland, Lucas Giolito, Randal Grichuk, Ian Happ, Jeff Hoffman, Tanner Houck, Matthew Liberatore, Sean Newcomb, Bailey Ober, Austin Riley, Joe Ryan, Max Scherzer, Marcus Semien.
