CLEVELAND, Tenn. - A second former Lee baseball player is now the property of the San Diego Padres. Left-handed pitcher Jeff Ibarra was a 23rd-round pick by the west coast team on Thursday. In 2007 shortstop Lance Zawadzki, who is currently playing Double-A ball in San Antonio, was selected by Padres' scout Ashley Lawson. It was Lawson, a former Tennessee Wesleyan player and coach, who submitted Ibarra's name for the draft.

"It feels awesome being drafted by the Padres," said Ibarra. "It also is a good thing because they (Padres) are located so close to my house." Both Zawadzki and Ibarra are from the San Diego area.

"I was sitting with my cousin and his friend listening to the draft on the internet," continued the excited lefty, "and then I heard my name being called. I was speechless. Everyone in my family is proud and knew I could do it."

Ibarra called his two years at Lee "a great experience. I had fun with all the guys that came in and out of the program. I will never forget the two years we went to the (NAIA) World Series and the chances we had to win it. I had a good bond with all the players there."

Ibarra, who is a slender 6-foot-6 hurler with unlimited potential, added, "I'm going to miss everyone at Lee. It was also great because there were kids from all over the United States and even out of the States on the team. I can't wait to go back to Lee and get my ring (for advancing to the World Series for the third straight year)."

Ibarra worked mainly in relief roles over the past two years. He finished 2009 with a 4-1 record and a 3.44 earned run average in helping the Flames to a third-place finish in the World Series and an overall record of 53-14.

"Jeff really worked hard to gain this opportunity," said coach Mark Brew after watching his third player taken in the draft over the past three years. "He has been a huge asset for us in the bullpen over the last two years and proved he could pitch at an even higher level against several NCAA Division I players in the prestigious Coastal Plains Summer Collegiate League. We wish him the best as he begins this new phase of his baseball career."

"Ibarra really emerged as a potential candidate for the draft this year at our annual scout day in the fall," pointed out Brew. "His velocity was way up from the previous year and when you add the fact that he is a 6-foot-6 left-handed pitcher, it is easy to see what the Padres saw.

"Jeff was on several other teams' draft boards, but the Padres didn't want to let him slide. I think he projects out to be a left-handed set up/relief man (which was the role he filled for us at Lee), but he is a three-pitch guy and could easily work his way into a starting spot."

Going into the final round today, a total of 26 NAIA players have been selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. The first NAIA player to get picked was Ashur Tolliver, a junior left-handed pitcher from Oklahoma City University. He went in the fifth round to the Baltimore Orioles.

Overall the Southern States Athletic Conference had five players picked in the first 30 rounds. Austin Adams, Faulkner (Ala.) was selected in the fifth round by the Cleveland Indians. Outfielder Bryan Shields, Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) went to the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round. Pitcher Sean Teague, Southern Poly State (Ga.) was picked by the Florida Marlins in the 25th round, and his pitching teammate Mark Doll went to Philadelphia Phillies in the 29th round.

Infielder Ryan Stovall, Thomas (Ga.), who played for the Flames during the 2008 season, and was chosen by the Kansas City Royals in the 19th round.