Adrián Beltré, Joe Mauer and Todd Helton appeared on track to gain entry to baseball’s Hall of Fame when results are announced Tuesday, while Billy Wagner was likely to be right around the needed 75% threshold and Gary Sheffield was projected to fall short.

Mauer was a Twin because of the decision former general manager Terry Ryan made June 2001. It came down to a few players, including USC pitcher Mark Prior, the overwhelming favorite to go 1:1. But Ryan and his staff favored Mauer and made the bold selection.

Our Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson spoke with Ryan on Monday, in studio.

***Click the video box above to watch our conversation with Ryan***

Just 270 players are in the Hall, 1.3% of the approximately 20,500 who have appeared in the major leagues, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. There are another 40 executives/pioneers, 23 managers and 10 umpires enshrined, raising the membership total to 343.

Beltré was the leading vote-getter at 99% in his first try, according to Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame Ballot Tracker. Mauer, also on the his initial ballot, was second at 83%, and Helton was next at 82.5% in his sixth appearance.

Mauer was a six-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2009 AL MVP during 15 seasons with Minnesota. He is the only catcher to win three batting titles. He batted .306 with 143 homers and 906 RBIs with Minnesota from 2004-18.

Mauer will find out Tuesday at 5 p.m., if he’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report