Rene played at Cooperstown Dreams Park with his team the Miami Marlins (Miami, FL) in 1999 which won the week 5 championship beating the Crescent City Cannons (New Orleans, LA), 6-3. He attended Christopher Columbus High School (Miami, FL) where he was a three-year pitcher for the varsity baseball team. At the completion of his high school career, Rene attended and played at Manhattan College (Riverdale, NY). Rene's sophomore season (2007) was spent at Santa Fe Community College (Santa Fe, NM) where he led the state and finished second in the country with saves (13). His end of the season stats also included a 3-5 record with a 2.64 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 27 appearances.

In 2008, Rene's junior year, he played for the University of Miami. In nine appearances as a relief pitcher, Rene struck out 10 batters in 10 innings of work, held opponents scoreless in eight of nine appearances and held opponents to just a .189 batting average. He did not allow a run in ACC play and had the second-lowest mark on the team. Rene's 2008 stats also includes striking out a season-high four batters in two innings, allowed just one extra-base hit all season, held opponents hitless in five of nine appearances, and is one of three UM hurlers to not allow a home run all season.

Rene was one of six seniors on the University of Miami's 2009 roster. In 19.1 innings of work on the mound, Rene struck out 18 and recorded a 3.72 ERA to finish his collegiate career.