Talk to James Karinchak for a few minutes, and you realize that he’s quick to get to the point.

He’s polite, but maybe just a little rough around the edges. After all, he’s a relief pitcher, and they can be wired differently. Ask Karinchak, hoping to return to the majors in 2026 after a two-year absence, a question, and you get a direct answer.

There’s no filler, and it’s refreshing.

“I have been playing for a long time, and I want to show the world what I can do,” said Karinchak, a 2014 Valley Central graduate, who recently signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

Atlanta signed Karinchak, 30, as a low risk potential high reward right-hander out of the bullpen. Atlanta gives him another chance at an MLB comeback after pitching effectively for the Cleveland Guardians from 2019 23.

“I’m really excited because Atlanta has been a great team for the last decade,” Karinchak said. “I hope to help continue with that winning culture. I had some other teams interested, but I believe this was the best opportunity, and I know I made the right choice.”

Known as a strikeout pitcher, Karinchak posted a 3.10 ERA over 165 2/3 innings, spanning 174 games, with Cleveland. He struck out 253 batters for a 36.3% career strikeout rate.

However, Karinchak experienced shoulder issues in 2024 and didn’t pitch an inning for the Guardians. He was released and signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox last winter. Karinchak put up a 2.45 ERA and a 28.1% strikeout rate over 29 1/3 innings for Triple-A Charlotte before he was released in June.

Karinchak did not pitch the rest of the season, but has worked on his delivery and mechanics for the past few months at a facility called The Baseball Performance Center in Egg Harbor, N.J. He also trains where he lives in Tampa, Fla.

You can ask Karinchak if he is motivated to make it back to the big leagues and what it would mean to do so, but don’t expect a long-winded answer. Don’t expect him to wax poetic.

Just give him the ball come spring training.

“I feel healthy, I have been training, and I feel that I am more desirable as a pitcher,” Karinchak said. “I think I’m more disciplined. I love what I’m doing, and I want to do it for as long as I can. But, for now, I just want to focus on this year.”