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Cubs fifth starter seems like a position battle that should not be.

After all, Kyle Hendricks exceeded all expectations last year with a 3.95 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings over 180 innings.

Then again, the Cubs did trade cost-controlled middle infielder Starlin Castro for Adam Warren this offseason, so they must see something in the former Yankee that makes them believe he could be an asset in the starting rotation.

So far, Hendricks is rendering him moot, though.

1. Hendricks 'in good shape'

Clayton Kershaw, Jake Arrieta, Gerrit Cole, Jacob deGrom, Chris Sale, Zack Greinke, Max Scherzer, David Price, Carlos Carrasco, Madison Bumgarner, Chris Archer, Dallas Keuchel, Jon Lester, Corey Kluber, Matt Harvey, Cole Hamels, Danny Salazar and Felix Hernandez.

That's the complete list of pitchers who had at least 180 innings, at least 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings and at most a 1.20 WHIP last season.

Oh wait, I forgot one: Kyle Hendricks.

His ERA was comparatively high, but it's still amazing to consider just how under the radar he is after putting up those kinds of numbers. And to hear him tell it, he didn't even have his full arsenal.

"I didn't have any depth on [my changeup]," Hendricks told MLB.com. "To see the depth and angle on it and the swings and misses [in spring training] is a good sign."

Both he and the Cubs claim he's not a strikeout pitcher, but after allowing no runs on one hit with one walk and five strikeouts in four innings Sunday, he's up to 11 strikeouts in nine innings this spring. I think we all know where this is headed for the 2016 sleeper.

"I'm not ready to commit one way or another, but he's in pretty good shape," manager Joe Maddon said.

2. Joey Gallo lives

How have we gotten this deep into spring training without seeing a Joey Gallo moon shot?

OK, there you go.

The home run was the second in three for the still-top prospect, who fizzled in his first taste of the majors last year and continued to fizzle upon returning to the minors. He says he's a lot more confident this time around, though, and it's beginning to show.

"This year I feel strong and confident and like I belong here more than last year," Gallo told MLB.com. "[Last year] was my first camp, and I was just trying to figure things out and get comfortable. Now, I know I can play and compete against these guys."

After signing Ian Desmond to play left field, the Rangers don't have an opening for Gallo, who they still view as their long-term third baseman. An injury or two should probably be the expectation for the 36-year-old Adrian Beltre, though, which makes Gallo and his second-to-none power a worthy draft-and-stash in standard mixed leagues.

3. Stronger Sanchez makes case

Aaron Sanchez wants to start, and the Blue Jays want him to start. But he has been so much more effective in relief so far in the majors that they had to have some fallbacks on hand for the fifth spot in the starting rotation -- guys like Drew Hutchison, Jesse Chavez and Gavin Floyd.

With his performances like this one, Sanchez is rendering them all wholly unnecessary:

The final line was no runs on one hit with one walk and four strikeouts in four innings. Sanchez has allowed just two runs in his nine innings this spring, striking out 10. The strikeouts are notable because, despite his electric stuff, he hasn't gotten so many in the big leagues yet, but he did add 25 pounds of muscle this offseason. Manager John Gibbons also points out that the hard-throwing right-hander had begun to turn the corner before a lat strain necessitated his move to the bullpen last June, delivering a 2.91 ERA in his final seven starts.

"He's the one guy I thought, at the time he got injured was probably our most consistent dominating starter," Gibbons told MLB.com. "He's bigger and stronger, I think everything looks better about him."

Sanchez could be especially valuable in Head-to-Head points leagues, where his relief pitcher eligibility will come in handy if he continues at this pace.

4. Easy, Mac

Gallo's light-tower power is already the stuff of legends, but the less-heralded Mac Williamson, a Giants farmhand, is beginning to make a name for himself. He hit his fourth home run Sunday, tying him for the spring lead, and as you can see from this MLB.com video, he got some distance on the opposite-field blast.

In all, Williamson is 11 for 32 (.344) with three doubles to go along with his four home runs, and at 25, he might be pushing for a starting job if the Giants hadn't signed Denard Span this offseason, bumping Angel Pagan to left field.

But neither Span nor Pagan is a model of health, and whether or not Williamson claims a bench spot this spring, he's looking like the next in line. He should be on your radar in an NL-only league. If he didn't need Tommy John surgery in 2014, he'd be more known as a prospect, especially since he's also said to have a good batting eye.

5. Drury has a lane

Guess what? Based on his performance this spring, Brandon Drury is now in the discussion at second and third base.

If that sounds familiar to you, it's because that's how last spring went, too. He hit .435 (10 for 23) with three home runs and a .957 OPS but was so ahead of schedule that the Diamondbacks let him bide his time in the minors, where he struggled, delaying his arrival further.

So far this spring, he's batting .417 (10 for 24) with two homers, four doubles and an .833 OPS, and manager Chip Hale doesn't sound like he's going to let the 23-year-old bide his time again.

"Obviously, the way he's swinging the bat, you're going to have to try to find at-bats for him somewhere," Hale said.

He's an interesting prospect for sure, boasting good power for a player who should ultimately be dual eligible. In other words, he's everything he once hoped Jedd Gyorko would be. Of course, for him to get regular at-bats, the Diamondbacks would either have to be comfortable playing Jean Segura at shortstop or bumping Jake Lamb to a bench role, and both seem like long shots still.

For now, Drury is a sleeper better left for NL-only leagues.