It always matters. It's just a matter of how much you're willing to suffer the consequences to win now. As I said, if you're not starting him there's really not much point in starting his service clock. If injuries or bad play happens then maybe you consider it but outside of that there's not much reason to push him. Hell, if he finishes the season in AAA he'll be one of the few prospects from the 2018 draft to have a shot at making the 2020 team among all teams.
I see it as if he puts himself into that situation and there is a need then it will happen.
Here is a plausable scenerio:
They start him in AA. They have Ademan there already. DJ is in CF at AA. So to get into AA alone he has to be more advanced then both of them. Say he goes out in S/T and wrecks the pitching again. He hits over .300 while Ademan and DJ both hit around .260. he would go ahead of both in the depth charts.
So with him at AA then he is close enough to fit the current dynamic that the Cubs need. Which is a lead off. .327/.450 fills the bill. So they lead him off at SS and Ademan at 2B and DJ at CF. They play with the idea of Nico in CF some and they have Ademan move back to SS on those games.
So he wrecks AA. They already have DJ and Ademan to cover SS and CF so they again challenge Nico. Rule of thumb in place: Not struggling not developing. AAA for the most part is filler types so there really is no road block happening. He finally sees a challenge and takes a .030 hit to his BA. walks stay the same and his SO's up tick by 5%. The pitching is alittle above the college pitching that he had seen and what he saw in the pro's was less refunded with their command of the Zone. After a month he adapts and tightens up his swing offerings.
At that point the season is closing. No injuries so they let him play out the season and take it into the offseason knowing that he will not be on the 40 in spring.
That is a very likely scenerio. Another one is he gets wrecked at spring and sits in MB because that is where most of his level of talent is. Pretty common starting zone for college players. I see this as the bottom.
Top is he gets to the majors just because he never saw a challenge and they decide there is a legit need for a lead off and he gave them no reason to think twice.
Honestly he is a mix between Happ and Almora.as a hitter. Solid contact and a eye for balls and strikes.
He checks the boxes honestly and opertunity opens to potential.
