Clayton Kershaw

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Clayton Edward Kershaw

Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 6' 3", Weight 210 lb.

High School Highland Park High School (Dallas)
Debut May 25, 2008

Born March 19, 1988 in Dallas, TX USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Pitcher Clayton Kershaw made his major league debut in 2008.

Kershaw went 13-0 with a 0.77 ERA as a high school senior, whiffing 139 batters in 64 innings while allowing 23 hits and 26 walks. Baseball America named him as a first-team All-American and as having the best fastball of any high school pitcher entering the draft. He was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 2006 amateur draft, the 7th overall selection and the first high schooler picked. He made his pro debut that year with the GCL Dodgers, going 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA and 1 save in 10 games with the team. Baseball America ranked him as the top prospect in the Gulf Coast League, followed by Chris Parmelee and Gorkys Hernandez.

He pitched part of the 2007 Futures Game for the USA. Entering in the 7th, he allowed a homer to Jimmy Van Ostrand and walked Gorkys Hernandez one out later. After he got the second out, he was relieved by Collin Balester, who surrendered a RBI double to Wladimir Balentien to charge Kershaw with a second run. He was 7-5 with a 2.77 ERA for the Great Lakes Loons, striking out an incredible 134 in 97 1/3 innings while holding left-handed batters to a .151 average. Promoted to the Jacksonville Suns, he had a 1-2, 3.65 record. Overall, his 2.95 ERA led Dodgers farmhands. Baseball America rated him as having the best fastball and being the best pitching prospect in the Midwest League. He had a .201 opponent batting average, lowest in the full-season affiliated minors by .004 over John Lannan. He also had 12.02 K/9 innings, easily the best in the full-season affiliated minors. Baseball America rated him as the best prospect in the Midwest League. He made the MWL All-Star Team as the left-handed pitcher and also was named the MWL Prospect of the Year. Baseball Prospectus named him the #5 prospect in minor league baseball.

Kershaw opened 2008 with Jacksonville and was 0-3 with a 2.28 ERA but with a .205 opponent average and over a strikeout per inning. He was then called up to the majors to replace Esteban Loaiza. He struck out Skip Schumaker, the first batter he faced in the majors, but walked Brian Barton and allowed a RBI double to Albert Pujols. The young southpaw recovered to whiff both Ryan Ludwick and Troy Glaus. He would work six innings and allow two runs, striking out seven in a no-decision in the game.