MLB Draft: Ranking the Dodgers’ top four first round picks of the 2000s
By Jason Reed
1. LHP Clayton Kershaw (2006, Pick 7)
Career Stats with Los Angeles: 1850.0 IP, 134-62, 2.36 ERA, 2019 K’s
The highest overall selection in this ranking is also the best draft selection for the Dodgers in the 2000s. Was it ever a surprise though? Kershaw is already setting and breaking records for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and at only 29, he has a lot left in the tank.
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Clayton Kershaw will likely go down as the best pitcher in Dodgers history, and as crazy as it sounds, could very well go down as the best pitcher of all time. Kershaw can easily hit the 300 win mark, will near 3500 strikeouts, putting him in the top ten, and if he keeps at it, could finish with one of the best ERA’s in baseball history (with 3000+ IP).
Just look at his accolades, he is a six-time all-star, three-time Cy Young winner, one-time MVP, one-time Gold Glove, he has taken home four ERA titles and the Triple Crown.
The scary part is that Kershaw could easily be a six-time Cy Young winner. He arguably had a better 2012 than R.A Dickey, but the knuckleball took the league by storm. 2015 was fantastic, however, a slow start resulted in him finishing behind Zack Greinke and Jake Arrieta. Then last season he was producing one of the best years in history and then he got hurt.
Kershaw is scary good. There is no doubt that he is the best pitcher on the planet. Other guys, like Arrieta, Greinke, and Dickey, will have breakout years and be fantastic. However, nobody has shown the consistent dominance that Kershaw has since Randy Johnson.
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Clayton Kershaw will likely go down as the greatest Dodger to ever live, the greatest draft pick by the Dodgers, and may even go down as the best pitcher of all time.