Clayton Kershaw Bio
Clayton Edward Kershaw is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), all for the Los Angeles Dodgers. A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw was an 11-time National League (NL) All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner, and 2014 NL Most Valuable Player. He is one of 20 pitchers and four left-handers to be members of the 3,000 strikeout club. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.
Early Life and Background
Clayton Edward Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas. His parents divorced when he was 10, and he was raised by his mother. Kershaw played in youth sports leagues as a child, including Little League Baseball. He attended Highland Park High School, where he played baseball and was also the center for future NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford on the varsity football team. After a growth spurt and further development of his pitches, he established himself as an elite high school prospect in 2006 when he posted a 13–0 record with an earned run average (ERA) of 0.77, and recorded 139 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. In a playoff game against Northwest High School of Justin, Texas, Kershaw pitched an all-strikeout perfect game; he struck out all 15 batters he faced in the game, which was shortened because of the mercy rule. He also hit a home run in the game. Kershaw was selected by USA Today as “High School Baseball Player of the Year” and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball. He pitched for the United States national under-18 team in the 2005 U-18 Pan American Championships.
Path to Baseball
Entering the 2006 MLB draft, Kershaw was considered the consensus top high school pitcher available. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kershaw with the seventh overall pick in the draft. He had committed to Texas A&M University but turned down the scholarship offer to sign with the Dodgers, with a bonus estimated at $2.3 million. At the time, it was the largest bonus conferred on any Dodgers draft pick. Kershaw began his professional career with the Gulf Coast League (GCL) Dodgers. He pitched 37 innings in 2006, striking out 54 batters while walking only five and compiling a record of 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA. His fastball topped out at 96 miles per hour. Baseball America rated him as the top prospect in the GCL and the Dodgers’ second-best prospect behind third baseman Andy LaRoche. Kershaw was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons in 2007, where he recorded a record of 7–5 with a 2.77 ERA. He was selected to play on the East Team in the Midwest League All-Star Game and on the USA team in the All-Star Futures Game. On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League, where he produced a 1–2 record and 3.65 ERA in five starts. He was selected as the top prospect in the Dodgers organization heading into the 2008 season.
Clayton Kershaw Career
Early Career (2008–2010)
On May 24, 2008, the Dodgers bought Kershaw’s minor-league contract, and he was added to the active roster. Kershaw made his MLB debut on May 25, starting against the St. Louis Cardinals. He struck out the first batter he faced, Skip Schumaker, the first of seven strikeouts in the game, in which he pitched six innings and allowed two runs. When he debuted, Kershaw was the youngest player in MLB at 20 years and 67 days. Kershaw won his first MLB game against the Washington Nationals on July 27. He finished his rookie season 5–5, with a 4.26 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). In 2009, despite an 8–8 record, he led the major leagues in opposing batting average (.200), opposing slugging percentage (.282), and hits per nine innings (6.26). He also posted an ERA of 2.79 and 185 strikeouts. Kershaw made his playoff starting debut against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series (NLDS).
Breakthrough (2011–2014)
Kershaw was awarded the National League Player of the Week award for the week of June 20–26, 2011, and was selected to the National League team for the MLB All-Star Game, his first All-Star selection. He finished the 2011 season by leading the NL with 21 wins, 248 strikeouts, and a 2.28 ERA, winning the NL pitching Triple Crown, the first Triple Crown winner since Jake Peavy of the 2007 San Diego Padres. Kershaw also became just the second left-hander to have 240-plus strikeouts in a season before the age of 24. After the season, Kershaw was awarded the Warren Spahn Award as the best left-handed pitcher, the Players Choice Award for Most Outstanding National League pitcher, and the Gold Glove Award as the top fielding pitcher. He was additionally selected as the starting pitcher for the TSN NL All-Star Team. Kershaw made his fourth straight opening day start for the Dodgers in 2014, only the fourth Dodger ever to do so. On June 18, he pitched a complete game no-hitter against the Colorado Rockies and struck out a career-high 15 batters. Kershaw finished the season 21–3 with a 1.77 ERA in 27 starts, leading the National League in numerous categories once again. He was the first pitcher in history to win four consecutive major league-leading ERA titles.
Notable Works and Milestones
Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and was named the NL MVP in 2014. He is also a three-time World Series champion, winning titles in 2020, 2024, and 2025.
Clayton Kershaw Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Clayton Kershaw has received numerous award nominations, including multiple selections for the All-Star Game and the Cy Young Award.
Clayton Kershaw Awards Won
Kershaw has won several prestigious awards, including the NL MVP in 2014 and three Cy Young Awards in 2011, 2013, and 2014. He has also been recognized as an All-Star 11 times and has received the Gold Glove Award.
Clayton Kershaw Family
Clayton Kershaw is married to Ellen Melson, and the couple has four children together. They reside in Studio City, California, during the season and in University Park, Texas, during the offseason.
Personal Life
Kershaw is a Methodist with strong religious faith and has participated in various humanitarian efforts, including building an orphanage in Zambia. He and his wife co-authored a book about their faith and humanitarian work. Kershaw has also been involved in various charitable activities, including hosting a charity ping-pong tournament to raise funds for his organization, Kershaw’s Challenge.