Bleacher Bums Forum

To be a free agent you need 6 full seasons of MLB service time.  About 21 days in the minors is all you need to push back his free agency.  Assuming Bryant stays in Iowa to start the season he wouldn't be a free agent until 2022.  If Russell comes up in 2015 (and stays) or starts 2016 in the majors he would also be a free agent in 2022. 

Russell already has 250+ AB in AA with wRC+ of 173 and 141.  He's dominated AA already and strike outs aren't a concern like with Baez.  If Russell was still with the A's chances are pretty decent that he would be their opening day SS, so it isn't like the Cubs are rushing him through levels.  The problem with waiting until mid-2016 with Russell is he may not be super great when he first comes up, so your looking at 2017 before the Cubs get decent productions.  That is wasting 2 of the best seasons of Lester/Arreita/Rizzo/Castro.