STONY BROOK, N.Y. — Joe Nathan became a sixth-round pick by the San Francisco Giants in the 1995 Major League Baseball draft out of Stony Brook.

Now, after a distinguished 16-year major league career, his consideration for immortality in Cooperstown is on tap.

Nathan is expected to appear on the next National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, along with other first-time-eligible players including Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Jimmy Rollins and Prince Fielder.

The ballot release for next year's class that should include Nathan officially will be revealed in November.

Nathan, 46, produced a 64-34 record, 2.87 ERA and 377 saves while primarily pitching for the Giants and Minnesota Twins. He was a six-time All-Star, the 2009 AL Rolaids Relief Man Award winner and ranks eighth in MLB history in career saves.

In the Class of 2021 results announced on Tuesday by the Hall of Fame, no one reached the 75 percent threshold required for election. The top vote-getters were Curt Schilling (71.1 percent), Barry Bonds (61.8) and Roger Clemens (61.6).

Nathan was a 2006 inductee into the Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame and a 2019 inductee into the Twins Hall of Fame.

Stony Brook baseball coach Matt Senk vividly recalled a start by Nathan against the Atlanta Braves during the final month of his rookie season in 1999 while with the Giants.

"Not only did Joe earn the win, but he beats future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux," Senk said. "But the coolest part of the win was the fact that during the game Joe was wearing a Stony Brook baseball T-shirt under his uniform. I was so proud of that because I had given Joe that T-shirt at Shea Stadium when he was first called up and kiddingly told him, 'Every time you start a game I expect you to wear it.' And unbelievably he did. From there Joe's career skyrocketed, but Joe never forgot where he came from."

Nathan's gift to Stony Brook baseball in 2008 proved a driving force to the construction of the Seawolves' state-of-the-art field that bears his name.

"The significance of that gift cannot be understated," Senk said. "Not only did it give us a great facility, but it allowed us to bring to Stony Brook some of the finest student-athletes we have ever had. In fact, it is safe to say without Joe's gift the 'shock the world' run to the College World Series in 2012 probably doesn't happen."