Sussex County fortifies lineup with one of the league’s premier infielders
The Sussex County Miners are excited to welcome back infielder Mahki Backstrom.
A 2025 Frontier League All-Star, Backstrom is one of the most dangerous bats in Miners history. Last season, the 6’5”, 220-pound first baseman ranked in the top 15 in the league with a .323 batting average. The 24-year-old slugger from Hawthorne, CA, recorded 12 home runs, 84 hits, and 58 RBI in just 70 games. His stellar offense and defense helped propel the Miners into the 2025 postseason. The sound of the bat when Backstrom makes contact is like no other, regularly logging exit velocities in the 105–115 MPH range.
In 2024, Backstrom split time between the High-A Asheville Tourists, the minor-league affiliate of the Houston Astros, and the Pioneer League’s Great Falls Voyagers. He thrived in Great Falls, hitting .350 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI in only 45 games.
Backstrom was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 18th round of the 2019 MLB June Amateur Draft from Junipero Serra High School (Gardena, CA).
Join Mahki Backstrom and the Miners for their home opener at Skylands Stadium on Friday, May 8, 2026, against the Down East Bird Dawgs. Single-game, half-season, and season tickets are now on sale at tickets.sussexcountyminers.com.
Photo by Phil Hoops