Scott Boras issued critical comments for how the Chicago Cubs have handled the Major League timeline of Kris Bryant.

The agent says the Cubs must decide whether to prioritize winning over long-term contractual matters.

By keeping Bryant, 23, in the Minor Leagues even for just two weeks to start the 2015 season, the club can prevent him from accruing a full year of service and thus delay his free agency by a full season.

"Cubs ownership has a choice," Boras said. "Are they going to present to their market that they are trying to win? [Cubs owner] Tom Ricketts said they were all about winning."

In addressing the issue, Boras compared Bryant to several other top prospects who were allowed to start the year with their clubs in spite of service considerations, often with successful results. "I believe the issue with Kris Bryant is not whether he should be on the 2015 team," the agent said. "The issue is, why wasn't he called up in September of last year when he could have prepared for the 2015 season?"