The Orioles didn’t get to see Heston Kjerstad at their alternate training site or instructional camp last summer after selecting the slugging outfielder No. 2 in the 2020 Draft. On Friday, O’s GM/EVP Mike Elias revealed why.

Elias said Kjerstad was sidelined due to “an episode of myocarditis,” a viral infection that causes inflammation of the heart muscle. Elias said Kjerstad is expected to report to Spring Training late due to the condition.

“He’s doing really well and we’re going to have him at the camp, but we’re still emerging from the timeline of that,” Elias said. “It’s a bit of a lengthy recovery timeline and there are also risk factors associated with the ongoing pandemic we need to be very mindful and careful about as well.”

The Orioles didn’t specify Kjerstad’s condition when he didn’t attend their instructional camp last fall, publicly calling it only “a non-sports medical condition.” They signed Kjerstad for a below-slot $5.2 million bonus in July after executing one of the most creative bonus pool strategies in the 2020 Draft, using the money saved to sign two high schoolers to above-slot deals in later rounds. Kjerstad last played competitively last March for the University of Arkansas.

“Everything is going well [with Kjerstad],” Elias said. But the timeline of his reporting is still something that is developing, because of [his recovery].”

• Orioles Spring Training information

Kjerstad was one of the headliners of the group of 22 “camp reserves” the Orioles announced Friday as part of a total camp roster of 72, including 10 non-roster invites. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Orioles' No. 3 prospect, he is one of the club's six Top 30 prospects on the list, including the club's No. 1 prospect, catcher Adley Rutschman, and shortstops Gunnar Henderson (No. 6), Jordan Westburg (No. 7), Terrin Vavra (No. 13) and Adam Hall (No. 16). All are considered “camp reserves” rather than official invites, due to fluid structure of Spring Training and the delayed start to the Minor League season this year.

Similarly, the Orioles are holding back several of their younger top pitching prospects in an effort to be mindful of delayed start dates and workload. Notable exclusions from Friday’s list were No. 2 prospect Grayson Rodriguez and No. 3 prospect DL Hall. Like they did last summer at their alternate training site, the O’s will trickle new prospects in in waves to avoid overcrowding at camp amid the ongoing pandemic.

“These guys are going to basically stay there for the most part,” Elias said. “We’re not going to have the dynamic that we’re used to, where we have the Major League camp and Minor League camp happening simultaneously.”

Rutschman is scheduled to report with the rest of the Orioles' pitchers and catchers on Wednesday, Elias said. The O’s first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 22. Grapefruit League play begins Feb. 28 at home against the Pirates.

Here is the full list of Orioles non-roster invites and camp reserves (all the NRIs were previously reported):

NON-ROSTER INVITEES

Pitchers (6):

LHP Fernando Abad
RHP Marcos Diplán
RHP Thomas Eshelman
RHP Conner Greene
RHP Félix Hernández
LHP Wade LeBlanc

Catchers (3):

Nick Ciuffo
Taylor Davis
Austin Wynns

Infielders (1):

Stevie Wilkerson

CAMP RESERVES

Pitchers (10):

RHP Cody Carroll
RHP Jay Flaa
RHP Eric Hanhold
RHP Mickey Jannis
RHP Dusten Knight
LHP Zach Muckenhirn
RHP Evan Phillips
LHP Josh Rogers
RHP Konner Wade
RHP Spenser Watkins

Catchers (3):

Brett Cumberland
Maverick Handley
Adley Rutschman

Infielders (7):

Adam Hall
Gunnar Henderson
Mason McCoy
Seth Mejias-Brean
Ryan Ripken
Terrin Vavra
Jordan Westburg

Outfielders (2):

Heston Kjerstad
Chris Shaw