After missing two complete seasons, he returned to the mound in 2019 but had to wait a few months while healing from a strained lat muscle.
During that season, he pitched at the Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels for the first time in his professional career. Overall, he made 16 starts out of 19 appearances and finished with a record of 4-3 with a 3.18 ERA.
He improved as the season progressed and as he was promoted, with his highest ERA coming with the Stockton Ports of the California League at the lowest level.
His innings limit was limited to 68 innings, but his K/W ratio of 75/16 was extremely encouraging.
The cancellation of the minor league season in 2020 due to the global coronavirus epidemic deprived him of the opportunity to continue building his strength.
Instead, he began the year at the A’s alternative training facility and made his major league debut in mid-August. He only pitched twice in the major leagues, with no decisions and three earned runs allowed in 3 2/3 innings.
In 2021, when the minor league season began in May, he was assigned to the AAA Las Vegas Aviators and made just one start before being called up to Oakland on May 12, 2021.
With his father cheering him on from the fans at Fenway Park after traveling across the country, he pitched well against the Boston Red Sox, allowing just one run on four hits over five innings while striking out six batters to secure the win for his side.
As indicated by his last name, Kaprielian is a member of California’s sizable Armenian-American population.
Meet Doug Kaprielian and Barbara Kaprielian
Doug Kaprielian and Barbara Kaprielian are James Kaprielian Parents. Doug Kaprielian has always being a big fan of his son as he constantly attends most of his games. Barbara Kaprielian, Kaprielian’s mother, lost her 14-year fight with breast cancer in 2014.