Alexander pitcher Juliocesar Hernandez signs with Division I Rice

Juliocesar Hernandez's best days of baseball are still ahead of him.

And they'll be to the benefit of a Division I university in Texas.

Hernandez, a senior right-handed pitcher at Alexander, recently made his commitment to Rice University official with a signing on Feb. 4 during a ceremony at Alexander.

"It's extremely special to me," Hernandez said on signing day, as the Alexander gym filled with family, friends, coaches and teammates. "It's the family, the community, the support system behind me that has pushed me every day. It's not just me. It's everyone behind the scenes who sacrifices every day so I can do what I love."

Rice, nicknamed the Owls, is located in Houston and competes in the American Athletic Conference.

The Owls appeared in every College World Series from 1995 to 2017 and won the national championship in 2003, the first NCAA title in school history. The program's primary rivals are Houston and Texas.

Rice has sent more than 20 players to Major League Baseball. Among the handful of active MLB players is third baseman Anthony Rendon.

It was Hernandez's visit to Rice that sealed his decision. He plans to study finance.

"It felt like home," Hernandez said. "The coaches, the student body, the education, the field, the facilities - everything. It just felt like home to me.

"I'm just grateful to keep playing baseball at the next level. To play Division I is another opportunity for me to take advantage of."

Alexander coach Fernando Lemus knows exactly what kind of player and person Rice is getting.

"They're getting a hard worker," Lemus said. "A guy who knows what adversity is. He's going to put his head down and keep working. He's one of those guys who will always persevere and find a way to motivate himself and keep pushing no matter the circumstance. He's one of our leaders this year."

Hernandez still has his senior season with the Bulldogs this spring and will be one of, if not the best, pitchers in Laredo during the 2026 season.

Alexander is expecting big things from its future Division I arm.

"He has a lot of talent. He has skill," Lemus said. "We're expecting a lot from him. I think this will be his best year yet."

Despite dealing with injuries, Hernandez logged 25 2/3 innings during his junior campaign last season. He struck out 31 batters and allowed 19 earned runs for a Bulldogs team that finished 24-11 and captured the program's 16th district title, 23rd bi-district title and 16th area title.

It's been an active offseason for Hernandez. Over the summer, he competed in the 17U Perfect Game Texas Ultimate Baseball Championship. In a showcase loaded with future Division I players, Hernandez stood out by striking out 10 batters in five innings.

According to Perfect Game, Hernandez's fastball sat at 88 mph in June 2025.

Tribune Regional TX

This story was originally published February 4, 2026 at 10:52 PM.