There are many reasons some Georgia baseball players go miles away to play in the summer, but the most important reason might have come this week.

On Tuesday, three Diamond Dogs who played in the northeast were named among the top prospects in their respective summer leagues according to Baseball America.

Peter Verdin, Zach Cone and Justin Grimm were all named to the list, with Verdin coming away with the No. 2 overall prospect out of the New England Collegiate League.

Cone was named the No. 12 prospect out of the Cape Cod League and Grimm was tabbed as the No. 18 prospect out of the same league.

Cone and Grimm played on the same team – Cotuit Kettleers – in Massachusetts, with Cone hitting .243 with three home runs and 20 RBI, and Grimm posting a 2.84 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 44.1 innings pitched. Baseball America said Grimm “has all the raw ingredients to be a first-round pick next June.”

Verdin saw action as a catcher and outfielder, hitting .296 with three home runs and 11 RBI.

Former Bulldog Sammons back in pros

With Major League Baseball clubs expanding their rosters to 40 players instead of the usual 25 on Sept. 1, former Georgia catcher Clint Sammons was called back up to Atlanta to join the Braves. Sammons began the season in Atlanta with injuries to backup catcher David Ross, but once Ross returned from a groin injury, Sammons was sent back to the Braves Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett where he has spent the season until now.

With the Atlanta farm team this season, Sammons hasn’t been exactly lighting up the charts on offense, hitting .214 with nine home runs and 37 RBI. Still, the Braves are more impressed with his play on the defensive side.

Sammons makes the fourth Bulldog in the majors this season, joining Gordon Beckham (Chicago White Sox), Mitchell Boggs (St. Louis Cardinals) and Jeff Keppinger (Houston Astros).