Clayton Kershaw Bio: Early Life, Charity, Children & Net Worth

This article was last updated by on

Clayton Kershaw is a famous American baseball player who has played with Los Angeles Dodgers only. With a whopping net worth of $110 million as of 2024, Clayton is doing great in his professional career.

Clayton was the first pitcher in MLB history to lead the league in earned run average (ERA) for four years (2011–2014). Hence, Kershaw was named the ‘All-Star Game’ for seven consecutive years (2011–2017).

He was named the ‘National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2014. Further, he was awarded “Triple Crown” and three “Cy Young” honors early in his career.

clayton kershaw
Baseball Pitcher Clayton Kershaw (Source: Instagram) 

In this article, you will find information regarding Clayton Kershaw’s early life, career, relationship, net worth, and more. 

Before getting into the details, let us start with some quick facts. 

Quick Facts

Name Clayton Kershaw
Birthname Clayton Edward Kershaw
Nickname “The Claw”
Birthdate March 19, 1988
Birthplace Dallas, Texas 
Age 36 Years Old
Zodiac Sign Pisces
Chinese Zodiac Dragon
Nationality American
Body type Athletic
Hair color Dark Brown
Skin Fair
Height 6 ft. 4 in/ 1.93 m/ 193 cm
Weight 225 lb./ 102 kg
Education Highland Park High School (High School)

Texas A&M University

Profession Baseball Player
Specialization Pitcher
Throwing Left
Batting Left
First Draft 2006, Los Angeles Dodgers, Round: 1, Overall Pick: 7
Career History Los Angeles Dodgers (2008–Present)
Highest League Major League Baseball
MLB Debut May 25, 2008, For The Los Angeles Dodgers
Parents Christopher George Kershaw (Father)

Mariane Kershaw (Mother)

Relationship Status Married
Wife Ellen Nelson
Married Year 2010
Children Charley Clayton Kershaw

Cooper Ellis Kershaw

Chance James Kershaw

Cali Ann Kershaw

Net Worth $ 110 Million 
Social Media TwitterFacebookInstagram
Merch Signed Baseball, Signed Jersey  
Last Update  March, 2024

Early Life and Background

Kershaw was born on March 19, 1988, in Dallas, Texas to Christopher George Kershaw (Father) and Marianne Kershaw (Mother). He is the only child in the family and does not have any siblings. 

Clayton was barely ten when his parents split up. He started living with his mother after his parents divorced. 

Clayton and his mother
Clayton and his mother (Source: Bleacher Report) 

As a kid, Clayton participated in youth sports leagues such as Little League Baseball. But, everything was set to change when he joined Highland Park High School.

With little baseball experience in hand, he joined the baseball team. Likewise, he also signed up for the Varsity Football Team’s center.

Clayton was enjoying baseball, and more importantly, he was good at it. Eventually, he established himself as an outstanding high school talent in 2006.

Career

Clayton started playing professionally with the GCL Dodgers in the Gulf Coast League. 

In 2007, Kershaw was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons, and was selected for the ‘Midwest League All-Star Game’ and ‘All-Star Future Games.’

On August 6, 2007, he was promoted to the Southern League’s Double-A Jacksonville Suns. He was named the Dodgers’ top prospect heading into the 2008 season.

MLB Player Clayton
MLB Player Clayton Kershaw (Source: Instagram) 

Clayton was performing in every division despite being promoted consistently. Eventually, it would become clear it was time for his big MLB Debut.

The Dodgers purchased Kershaw’s minor-league contract on May 24, 2008, and was elevated to the active roster. 

On May 25, 2008, he made his Major League Baseball debut, pitching against the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Marriage, Wife & Children  

According to several sources, Clayton Kershaw has been married to Ellen Melson. The duo studied together at “Highland Park High School.” 

Eventually, they started dating and married on December 4, 2010, after seven years of dating. The couple has four children, three sons, and a daughter.

Cali Ann, their daughter, was born in January 2015, and Charley Clayton, their son, was born in November 2016.

The couple gave birth to their child, Cooper Ellis Kershaw on January 2020 and to their fourth child, Chance James Kershaw on December 3, 2021.  

Clayton Children
Clayton Kershaw’s Children During Christmas (Source: Instagram) 

Ellen has always been a supportive wife and a caring mother. She constantly follows her Christian ideals of working for the greater good.

She is also a great humanitarian. Through her organizing efforts, she and her husband have been a helpful hand to many people.

It is great to see influential couples like them dedicated to the betterment of society. 

Charity

Ellen and Clayton are famous for their efforts for a disadvantaged group in Africa. They co-founded “Hope’s Home,” an orphanage home in Lusaka, in 2012.

The duo called it ‘Hope’s Home’ after an HIV patient named Hope, who Clayton met in Zambia when he was 11 years old.

Clayton, together with ‘Cure International helps raise fund cash for Zambian children to mainly cover their Mainly their medical needs.

Clayton and His Wife In Zambia
Clayton and His Wife In Zambia (Source: The New York Times)

In addition, he has volunteered with other Los Angeles-based organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity. He did assist in the demolition and rehabilitation of a home in Lynwood, California.

Furthermore, he also supports the Peacock Foundation. The organization collaborates with mental health professionals and community organizations to provide animal-assisted therapy and activities for adolescents.

Net Worth & Earnings

Clayton maintains a whopping net worth of $110 million as of 2024. A major portion of his net worth comes from his career as a professional baseball player. 

In addition, being a World Series Champion, Clayton also has several lucrative endorsement deals. Some of the major ones include ones with Topps, Hankook Tire, and Wilson Sporting Goods.

Social Media

Clayton Kershaw might be one of the most influential baseball players in the world. Hence, he has an active social media presence.

He is primarily active on Instagram with 531k followers and 150 posts at the time of writing. He has provided a link to his website on Instagram’s bio. 

 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A post shared by clayton kershaw (@claytonkershaw)

Similarly, he is active on Twitter with more than 403.2k followers. 

Further, he is often seen interacting on his Facebook page. You can find him on Facebook as Clayton Kershaw and has 485K followers now.

Popularity Graph 

Popularity Graph
Popularity Graph of Clayton Kershaw Over The Past 12 Months (Source: Google) 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Is it true that Clayton Kershaw is a writer?

Yes, Kershaw and his wife, Ellen, wrote a book on their Christian faith and humanitarian endeavors called Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams.

What is the jersey number of Clayton Kershaw?

Clayton Kershaw wears jersey number 22 for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah
Sanjib Sah is an engineer and content writer passionate about sports and athletics. With a background in engineering and a love for all things active, Sanjib brings a unique perspective to the world of sports writing. Whether he is covering the latest trends in sports technology or sharing tips on improving your game, Sanjib's words are always rooted in a deep appreciation for players' hard work and dedication everywhere. In his free time, you can find him hitting the courts or hitting the trails, always looking for new ways to challenge himself and improve his skills.

Related articles

Comments

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Share article

Latest News