CLEVELAND - Former UCLA right-handed pitcher Hector Ambriz has been selected by the Cleveland Indians as the fifth selection in the Major League Phase of the 2009 Rule V draft from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

He was selected for $50,000 and must remain on the Indians active major league roster the entire 2010 season or be offered back to Arizona at half the original price.

Ambriz, who pitched at UCLA from 2003-06, will be reunited in Cleveland with former Bruin teammate David Huff, a left-handed pitcher who excelled in the Indians' starting rotation during his rookie campaign in 2009. Ambriz and Huff both pitched in UCLA's weekend rotation in 2006, helping lead the Bruins to a berth in the NCAA Malibu Regional.

Ambriz, 25, was a combined 12-11 with a 4.94 ERA in 156.2 innings in 28 games 927 starts) between AA Mobile and AAA Reno in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2009. He began the season at AA Mobile, going 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 29.0 innings in five starts before being promoted to AAA Reno on May 5. Pitching for the Reno Aces, he went 9-9 with a 5.57 ERA in 127.2 innings in 23 games (22 starts).

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound right-hander was originally selected in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB Draft out of UCLA. He owns a career minor league record of 28-35 with three saves and a 4.41 ERA in 501.2 innings. Ambriz has registered 438 strikeouts and 154 walks in 98 career minor league games (83 starts).

Ambriz starred both on the mound and at the plate while at UCLA. He logged a 13-21 career record and 4.41 ERA in 57 games (43 starts), totaling 249 strikeouts in 296.0 innings. In the lineup, he compiled a career .311 batting average with eight homers, 62 RBI and a .405 on-base percentage.