Dodgers cut 8 players, including Cotton and Anderson

The Dodgers have announced the first round of cuts for the spring, optioning one player and reassigning seven others, according to Jon Weisman of Dodger Insider.

This afternoon, the Dodgers made their first bulk cuts of Spring Training, optioning right-handed pitcher Jharel Cotton to minor league camp and reassigning non-roster pitchers Lisalverto Bonilla, Chase De Jong, Caleb Dirks, Jacob Rhame, Chris Anderson, outfielder Alex Hassan and catcher Kyle Farmer.

Cotton (#9), Anderson (#17), De Jong (#20), Rhame (#22), and Farmer (#30) all rank in the top 30 Dodger prospects, according to MLB.com.

Farmer went 2-for-5 at the plate this spring, while Hassan slashed an impressive .357/.471/.429/.899, though it was of course over only 14 at-bats. Anderson pitched four innings of one-run ball in his three appearances, while De Jong gave up two runs in four innings during his two stints on the mound. Rhame was tagged for two runs over three innings in three appearances, and Cotton actually got it the worst of anybody that was cut, surrendering six runs in four innings in his three games. Bonilla and Dirks did not pitch in a Spring Training game.

There were no surprises included in the cuts, as none of the players listed could be considered even coming close to the Dodgers roster to start the year, though Cotton, Rhame, and maybe even Anderson could see time in the majors before the year is up.