The Miami Marlins are for sale and Derek Jeter is part of a potential group to buy the major league club. The most logical future owner of the Marlins, however, could be one who only recently has been mentioned: Jorge Mas, a Cuban-American businessman whose family has been well-known in Miami and South Florida for decades.

A source with direct knowledge of the possible purchase said the small group led by Mas appears to have the most solid footing and deepest pockets.

The Miami Herald was first to report that the Mas group has emerged as a serious contender to purchase the Marlins. Forbes reported Saturday that the group is going to offer close to $1.1 billion. That would be less than the $1.3 billion bids -- a figure some industry insiders believe is about $300 million too high -- reportedly submitted previously from two other groups: one led by Jeter and the other by Tagg Romney, son of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

One aspect that makes Mas' group most attractive is the small number of investors. A source said the group is less than a handful, and Mas would supply a large portion of the purchase price himself.

Mas is a Miami native and University of Miami graduate, born into a family of refugees from Cuba. He is the chairman of MasTec, a $5 billion corporation headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida, and involved in infrastructure projects across the United States.

Marlins ownership going to a group led by a local Cuban-American could put the franchise in good graces with its fan base. The Marlins have for years been among baseball's worst in home attendance. They haven't had a winning season since 2009 and haven't been to the playoffs since winning the 2003 World Series. Current owner Jeffrey Loria, whose stadium deal for Marlins Park generated controversy, has not been embraced by fans.

Miami has the largest Cuban and Cuban-American population in the U.S. Mas is chairman of the Cuban American National Foundation, a group his father, Jorge Mas Canosa, founded in the early 1980s.

Mas would become the second Hispanic owner -- joining Arte Moreno of the Los Angeles Angels -- in a sport where Latin American players have for years been among the game's biggest stars.

Mas, according to the source, would focus on making the Marlins Latin America's team. Miami has long been considered the financial and cultural capital of Latin America. The Marlins would like to tap into that market. During the World Baseball Classic in March, overflow crowds packed Marlins Park with energy that has rarely been seen at Marlins games.

"Those were the best crowds I've ever played in front of," Texas Rangers catcher Jonathan Lucroy said at the time.

Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has stated he believes the Marlins will be sold.