José Cherena brings left-handed depth to Alcorn State, but 2026 results have been hit hard
In the 2026 season, José Cherena has logged 50.2 innings with 31 strikeouts for Alcorn State, but his 10.30 ERA shows he has struggled to translate his stuff into run prevention.[1][3] The appeal is his profile: a compact, left-handed pitcher from Puerto Rico with enough strike-throwing volume to stay in a rotation or multi-inning role, and recruiting-era reports listed a low-80s fastball with a changeup and notable velocity gains earlier in his development.[4][8] He fits best as a depth piece or development project for a staff that can sharpen command and pitch sequencing.[2][5][6]
