Watch Clayton Kershaw throw an all-strikeout perfect game in high school

Los Angeles Dodgers great Clayton Kershaw was a standout pitcher for Highland Park High School in Texas.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws the pitch for his 3000th strike out during the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Mr. 3,000.

Los Angeles Dodgers all-time great pitcher Clayton Kershaw just reached 3,000 strikeouts for his career this past week in the Dodgers' victory over the Chicago White Sox at Chavez Ravine. Kershaw became the 20th player all-time to do it and just 4th lefty to reach the milestone.

Only three pitchers have amassed 3,000 strikeouts while doing it for one team. Walter Johson, Bob Gibson and Kershaw.

Kershaw has had an illustrious professional career and will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But his superstardom didn't start in the MLB. Kershaw was a standout in high school, too.

As a senior for Dallas Highland Park High in 2006, Kershaw was an All-American after going 13-0 from the bump with a dominating 0.77 ERA. He tallied a mind-boggling 139 strikeouts in just 64 innings of work.

One of the highlights of his prep career came in the playoffs against Northwest High of Justin, Tex. where Kershaw threw an all-strikeout perfect game and hit a grand slam. Kershaw struck out all 15 batters in a game that was shortened due to the mercy rule.

In all, Kershaw collected nine strikeouts swinging and six looking, on just 70 pitches in five innings. Highland Park won 10-0, scoring 10 runs on 10 hits, including Kershaw's grand slam.

KERSHAW'S PERFECT GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Kershaw would later pitch for USA Baseball's Junior National Team in the Pan Am Championship, be named USA TODAY "High School Baseball Player of the Year" and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

The Dodgers selected Kershaw No. 7 overall in the 2006 MLB Draft. Of course, he'd go on to win more than 200 games, strikeout 3,000 batters, be named to 11 All-Star games, be named the NL MVP in 2014, win three Cy Young awards, and win two World Series rings (2020, 2024).

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