The Pittsburgh Pirates passed on making a pick in the major-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday at the winter meetings in Nashville but selected four players and lost four others in the minor-league portion.

Only 10 players were selected in the major-league phase, the lowest in a decade, so the Pirates avoided losing three unprotected top-30 prospects in utility player Jase Bowen, outfielder Matt Gorski and first baseman Malcom Nunez.

But the minor-league phase provided plenty of activity. The Pirates lost third baseman/shortstop Dariel Lopez, ranked their No. 14 prospect by MLB Pipeline, to the San Francisco Giants.

The Pirates picked right-handed pitcher Fineas Del Bonta-Smith from Colorado, first baseman Seth Beer from Arizona, third baseman/shortstop Marcos Cabrera from the New York Yankees and center fielder P.J. Hilson from San Francisco.

In addition to Lopez, the Pirates also lost left-handed pitcher Omar Cruz to San Diego, catcher Rafael Escalante to Minnesota and right-handed reliever Roelmy Garcia to Tampa Bay.

The Pirates’ picks address depth needs, particularly at first base and center field.

Beer, 27, is a former first-round pick by the Houston Astros (No. 28 overall in 2018) who has hit double-digit home runs in every professional season. The 6-foot, 225-pound left-handed hitter batted .273/.365/.451 with 22 doubles, 15 home runs and 66 RBIs across Double-A and Triple-A last season. He played a combined 43 games in the major leagues in 2021-22, batting .208 (25 for 120) with four doubles, two home runs and 12 RBIs.

Hilson, 23, was rated the best athlete, baserunner and outfield arm in the Giants’ system in 2019, a year after he was a sixth-round selection out of Jonesboro, Ark., but hasn’t climbed above Low-A. The 5-10, 175-pounder batted .247/.283/.420 with 12 doubles, four triples, 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 80 games at Low-A San Jose last season.

Del Bonta-Smith, 26, is a 6-foot, 190-pound right-handed reliever who was 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA and 1.56 WHIP, 55 strikeouts and 21 walks and allowed 12 home runs in 45 innings over 35 appearances for Double-A Hartford last season.

Cabrera, 22, is a 6-3, 189-pounder who batted .212/.288/.354 with 10 doubles, six homers and 25 RBIs at High-A Hudson Valley in 2023.

Losing Lopez is a blow for the Pirates. The 21-year-old rose in their prospect rankings after batting .286/.329/.476 with 15 doubles, 19 homers and 58 RBIs at High-A Greensboro in 2022 before missing last season with a dislocated knee.

The 24-year-old Cruz was acquired as part of the return package from the Padres in the three-way trade that sent Joe Musgrove to San Diego for two-time All-Star closer David Bednar, catcher Endy Rodriguez and outfielder Hudson Head. Cruz spent three seasons at Double-A Altoona, switching from starter to the bullpen, and went 1-4 with a 3.94 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 48 innings over 27 appearances last season.

Escalante, 22, and Garcia, 20, played for the Pirates’ Florida Complex League team.

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