Dodgers lose 8 players in Rule 5 Draft

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers’ vaunted depth of talent took a hit in Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft, as eight players from the organization were selected away, including right-handed pitchers Brett de Geus and Jordan Sheffield in the Major League phase.

de Geus was taken with the second pick by Texas and Sheffield with the seventh pick by Colorado. de Geus, a 33rd-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, was ranked as the 27th-best prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline. Sheffield was the 36th player taken overall in the 2016 Draft and signed for $1.85 million.

If de Geus and Sheffield are healthy and do not make the Opening Day roster with their new clubs, they must be offered back to the Dodgers.

The Dodgers passed in the Major League phase, but replenished some of the losses to the farm system by selecting catcher Ryan January from Arizona and right-handed pitcher Roimer Bolivar from Tampa Bay in the Minor League phase.

Also in the Minor League portion, the Dodgers lost right-handed pitcher Shea Spitzbarth to Pittsburgh, left-handed pitcher Tyler Gilbert to Arizona, shortstop Errol Robinson to Cincinnati, center fielder Chris Roller to Cleveland, infielder Drew Jackson to the Mets and infielder Marcus Chiu to Miami.