Zach Root was drafted 40th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 after transferring from East Carolina University to the University of Arkansas. His decision to transfer was influenced by the pitching and strength coaches at Arkansas. Root's admiration for Clayton Kershaw began in childhood, as he watched Dodgers games with his father and modeled his pitching after Kershaw. Growing up a Dodgers fan, Root expressed happiness about being drafted by his favorite team and views Kershaw as a key source of inspiration.
"At ECU, our strength coach was leaving, and also Matt Hobbs, the pitching coach (at Arkansas), is the best at what he does. I saw what he did with the pitching staff last year, and I thought that's who I want to go pitch for."
"Growing up, my dad always made me watch Kershaw and kind of learned to pitch like him. I've just been watching Dodger baseball for as long as I can remember, because of Kershaw."
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