Greg Olson
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1989-1993)
Greg Olson was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1993 for the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves, a span of 5 seasons. In 414 career games, he hit .242 with 309 hits, 20 home runs, and 131 RBI. Greg Olson was an All-Star.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 200 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1989-06-27
- Last Game
- 1993-09-30
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Gregory William Olson
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 414 | 1,275 | 132 | 309 | 61 | 3 | 20 | 131 | 5 | 137 | 157 | .242 | .317 | .342 | .659 | -1,337 |
Career AVG .242 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 6.0% below league average.
Career OBP .317 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .342 vs. league average .385 across their career seasons — 11.3% below league average.
Career OPS .659 vs. league average .710 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | MIN | AL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1990 | ATL | NL | 100 | 298 | 36 | 78 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 36 | 1 | 30 | 51 | .262 | .257 (+1%) | .324 (+2%) | .385 (-2%) | .710 (avg) | 57.9 |
| 1991 | ATL | NL | 133 | 411 | 46 | 99 | 25 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 1 | 44 | 48 | .241 | .255 (-6%) | .323 (-2%) | .384 (-10%) | .708 (-7%) | -391.6 |
| 1992 | ATL | NL | 95 | 302 | 27 | 72 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 2 | 34 | 31 | .238 | .255 (-7%) | .322 (-2%) | .377 (-13%) | .699 (-8%) | -339.5 |
| 1993 | ATL | NL | 83 | 262 | 23 | 59 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 29 | 27 | .225 | .265 (-15%) | .332 (-9%) | .403 (-23%) | .735 (-17%) | -663.4 |
| Career · 5 seasons | 414 | 1,275 | 132 | 309 | 61 | 3 | 20 | 131 | 5 | 137 | 157 | .242 | — | — | — | — | -1,337 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (414 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 203 | 616 | 65 | 159 | 13 | 76 | .258 |
| Away | 211 | 659 | 67 | 150 | 7 | 55 | .228 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-09-30 | ATL | HOU | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993-09-28 | ATL | HOU | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-25 | ATL | PHI | W | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1993-09-21 | ATL | WSN | W | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-17 | ATL | NYN | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993-09-16 | ATL | CIN | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-11 | ATL | SDP | W | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-08 | ATL | LAD | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993-09-06 | ATL | LAD | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1993-08-08 | ATL | WSN | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 402 |
| Third Base | 1 |
Salary History
Greg Olson's recorded salaries total $1,275,000 over 2 seasons, 1992 to 1993. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Olson's career ran from 1989 to 1993. No salary is recorded for 1989, 1990, and 1991.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | ATL | NL | $925,000 |
| 1992 | ATL | NL | $350,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,275,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota | Minneapolis | MN | 1980, 1981, 1982 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Greg Olson (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Greg Olson: the record in brief
Greg Olson played a first major league game on June 27, 1989 and a last one on September 30, 1993. Club by club, the record runs the Minnesota Twins (1989) and the Atlanta Braves (1990 to 1993). At 6'0" and 200 pounds, Olson is listed as a catcher. Olson both batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Olson was born on September 6, 1960, in Marshall, MN, USA. On the record, Greg Olson was born Gregory William Olson.
Across 414 games at the plate, Olson's career line reads 309 hits in 1,275 at bats for a .242 average; the totals also include 20 home runs and 131 RBI. The on-base percentage is .317 and the slugging percentage .342, for an OPS of .659. Olson's .242 average ran 6.0% below the .258 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Olson's .659 stands 7.1% below the league's .710. The hits column peaks at 99, in 1991. 1991 brought the most runs batted in, 44. 1990 was the strongest of the full seasons by average: .262 against a league .257, a 1% edge.
Frequently Asked Questions about Greg Olson
- What years did Greg Olson play?
- Greg Olson played in Major League Baseball from 1989 to 1993.
- Was Greg Olson a pitcher?
- No. Greg Olson was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Greg Olson hit?
- Greg Olson hit 20 career home runs with 309 hits.
- What teams did Greg Olson play for?
- Greg Olson played for 2 teams: the Minnesota Twins (1989) and the Atlanta Braves (1990–1993).
- Did Greg Olson win an MVP award?
- No. Greg Olson did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Greg Olson win?
- Greg Olson was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Greg Olson's career stats?
- In 414 games, Greg Olson had 309 hits, 20 home runs, 131 RBI, 132 runs, and 5 stolen bases, with a .242 batting average.
- How much did Greg Olson earn in his career?
- Greg Olson's recorded salaries total $1,275,000 over 2 seasons, 1992 to 1993. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Olson's career ran from 1989 to 1993. No salary is recorded for 1989, 1990, and 1991.
- What was Greg Olson's salary?
- Greg Olson's last recorded salary was $925,000, in 1993. His highest recorded salary was $925,000, in 1993, and his lowest was $350,000, in 1992. The Salary History table lists each season from 1992 to 1993.
- What position did Greg Olson play?
- Greg Olson played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Greg Olson and how much did he weigh?
- Greg Olson was listed at 6 feet and 200 pounds.
- How many home runs did Greg Olson hit each season?
- Greg Olson's home runs by season: 0 in 1989, 7 in 1990, 6 in 1991, 3 in 1992, and 4 in 1993. His most in one season was 7, in 1990.
- What was Greg Olson's career batting average?
- Greg Olson batted .242 over his career, with 309 hits in 1,275 at bats.
- How many RBI did Greg Olson have?
- Greg Olson drove in 131 runs in his career.