If any single prospect earned a September promotion this season, it was definitely Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs. In his first full professional season after being selected second overall in the 2013 draft, Bryant hit a minor-league best 43 homers in 138 games between Double-A and Triple-A. But he wasn't just about the long ball. He also posted a .325 average to go along with a 1.098 OPS.

That's domination across the board offensively. Reports also suggest his defense at third base is up to major league standards, so one would think there's really nothing holding him back from making his major league debut and at least getting an evaluation in the big leagues.

Well, except for that nagging little service time issue that we've seen prevent prospects from getting called up recently, especially with teams focusing on two or three years down the road. By calling him up now, the Cubs would start Bryant's MLB service time, which means he would be closer to arbitration eligibility, which could prove expensive for Chicago. He'd also be one year closer to free agency, which, given his minor league production, looks like another potential healthy payday.

It's all about the money. And since Bryant's not yet eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft, there's no urgency for Chicago to promote him to the 40-man roster.