The Florida Marlins continue to pursue Boston Red Sox slugger Will Middlebrooks despite their unwillingness to part ways with star batter Giancarlo Stanton, a source close to situation reported on Sunday.

According to Nick Cafordo of the Boston Herald, the Marlins are very interested in snagging a young power hitter like Middlebrooks for their roster. Middlebrooks, 25, had a down year last season (.277 with 17 homers and 49 RBIs), but he nevertheless maintains his status as an attractive trade target.

The Marlins tried a number of times to hammer out a deal with the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox for Middlebrooks. However, no trade negotiations went through because the Red Sox were demanding one of the Marlins' greatest assets—Stanton.

"The feeling is the Red Sox will continue to hold on to Middlebrooks even if they re-sign Stephen Drew. Teams ask about Middlebrooks, but the Red Sox haven't pulled the trigger, feeling Middlebooks has power and they'd hate to lose that," Cafardo wrote in the Boston Herald.

Meanwhile, the Marlins have already signed former Rookie of the Year Jose Fernandez, raising his paycheck next season to $635,000. Fernandez, who also finished third in the NL Cy Young voting in his first season, is expected to be the core of the Marlins' starting rotation in the coming years.

"According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the 21-year-old received a $145,000 raise on Saturday, which sounds incredible in the real world, but isn't too bad in the baseball world either considering his age and experience level."

The 21-year old Fernandez went 12-6 with a 2.19 ERA and 187 strikeouts in his first season with the Marlins. He's expected to be the Marlins' opening day starter, according Marlins manager Mike Redmond reported.

"I know he's excited about it," Redmond said, CBS Miami reported. "When you think about how far he's come in the last year, from maybe slated to going to Double-A to starting the season in the big leagues to being Rookie of the Year. That's a pretty amazing year, and it just keeps going. Opening day starter ... it's a day he'll remember for the rest of his life."