Dodgers Ace Clayton Kershaw Loves LA’s Next Wave of Talent

Over the years, the Dodgers organization has established a reputation of being one of the best in regards to player development.

Players like Corey Seager, Julio Urias and Cody Bellinger among many others have refined their talents under the watchful eye of the organization before making an impact with the Dodgers and throughout the major leagues.

Recently, pitcher Clayton Kershaw made an appearance on AM570 radio, where the franchise legend and former first round pick of Los Angeles back in 2006 praised the newest group of players to make their mark with the big club.

"These guys come up and they’re not in awe or in shock of anything. I think they’re pretty comfortable in a Major League clubhouse and they come up and do their job. And, you know, you see Jonny DeLuca, he took some really good swings the other night. And you know about all the starting pitchers Bobby (Miller) and (Michael) Grove and even (Gavin) Stone. I know Gavin had a rough go of it his first couple but it’s in there too. He’s definitely not afraid."

For Miller in particular, he's showing just how valuable he can be for the big club as he's off to a torrid start to his MLB career.

He's 3-0 with a minuscule 0.78 ERA in four starts, showing off the 100+ MPH fastball that he was known for, and also accompanying that with a devastating slider that can reach into the high 90s.

Bobby Miller's four career MLB starts:

5 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K @ Braves

6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K vs. Nationals

6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K vs. Yankees

6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K @ Phillies.

His ERA is down to 0.78 on the year. The Dodgers rookie is unreal.
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) June 10, 2023

Kershaw was also quick to compliment OF James Outman and IF Miguel Vargas, who've each done well since they reached the majors in 2022.

"I think Dodgers have a good future on the mound and obviously with Outy and Vargy on the position side it’s kind of fun to see all these young guys."

The 35-year old lefty also expanded on how things have shifted in the organization with regards to minor league call-ups since he was first promoted in 2008.

"I think it’s been fun. We really haven’t had this influx of young guys. Usually it’s like one, maybe two a year. This year, I mean, we’ve got a clubhouse full of them. It’s not like when I first came up, you know?"

Kershaw has seen nearly everything in his 16 seasons with the Dodgers, from the early years where making the playoffs was far from a certainty, to LA becoming National League and World Series contenders nearly every year in recent seasons.

Over the course of that time, he's seen the team's development firsthand and the current set of rookies look more than prepared to make an impact because of that development — the same development that came in the same organization that transformed Kershaw from a once heavily intriguing rookie of his own to a future Hall of Famer.