JUPITER, Fla. -- Things certainly have changed for Cameron Maybin since Jim Leyland last saw him in a Tigers uniform.

Back in those days, the speedy center fielder was a highly touted prospect who had yet to find his path to the big leagues. But when Leyland greeted Maybin during the Marlins' batting-practice session at Roger Dean Stadium on Monday, he was embracing the favorite to be the Opening Day center fielder and leadoff man for a Major League team.

"It's wonderful," Leyland said about Maybin, who was traded to the Marlins in an eight-player deal that brought Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit in December 2007. "We knew he was going to be a great player. We knew that. And it was just a matter of we thought we had a chance to get a guy who was already a great player [in Cabrera].

"It worked out pretty good for everybody, I think. It's going to work out good for him; it already worked out great for us. That's the kind of deals you want."

Maybin was the 10th overall pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, but he only registered 49 Major League at-bats during his time with the Tigers. Last season, however, he turned some heads as a September callup, hitting .500 in 32 big league at-bats.

Now Maybin is getting an opportunity he's never had before.

"It's a great thing here [with the Marlins]," said Maybin, who finished 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in a 1-0 win for his club on Monday night. "It's great just having young guys in the clubhouse that you can relate to, who go through the same things you go through. It's pretty cool."

But Maybin admits he probably wouldn't be where he is right now if it wasn't for the veteran clubhouse he had in Detroit.

"It was a great experience," Maybin said. "They definitely helped me develop.

"I think I'm a lot better [now], just trying to recognize strike-zone discipline. And with better reps, you get better. The more pitches you get, the better you are. And I think all that time I had with [the Tigers] is definitely starting to pay off."

Maybin wasn't up with the big club a lot, and maybe he didn't get to spend as much time under the tutelage of Leyland as he would've wanted. But he was there long enough to build plenty of respect for the 17-year manager.

"He was great," Maybin said. "Straightforward, you know what I mean? He definitely knows what he's talking about when he speaks. And he's a guy that, when he speaks, you listen. He got the world championship ring [with the Marlins in 1997], and you can definitely see why when you're in the locker room playing for him."