Marlins' Fernandez expects to throw off mound in early March

Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez could be little over a week away from stepping on the mound for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May. 

The right-hander is currently on a long-toss schedule and is expected to throw off a mound in early March. 

"I want to pitch tomorrow in the big leagues. Are you kidding me?" Fernandez told Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. "I want to go out there and pitch tomorrow. That's just who I am. I think you have to be smart."

Fernandez remains on a timeline that projects a return to the majors in June or July. 

"Who knows when I'm going to come back?" Fernandez said. "That depends on how I feel. We really are not going to have a day until probably like five days before that start. We just have to follow a plan. Everything depends on how I'm feeling. We're going to go like that."

The 22-year-old Cuban saw the exceptional start to his young career derailed last May after an MRI revealed he'd torn the UCL in his right elbow. Fernandez owns a 16-8 record, 2.25 ERA and 257 strikeouts in 224 1/3 innings. 

Upon return, Fernandez will join a much improved rotation that added Mat Latos and Dan Haren this offseason.