He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler.
Caplen was born in Rusthall near Tunbridge Wells in Kent in 1879.
He made his only first-class cricket appearance for Kent during the 1897 season aged seventeen.
[1] He made at least three appearances for the Kent Second XI, the first in August 1895, when he was aged 15.
[2][3] Caplen played for Cornwall In 1898 and 1900, making one Minor Counties Championship appearance and in 1902 he played for the Madras Presidency against the Oxford University Authentics.