Trying to get ahead of Mariano Rivera’s cutter was impossible.

Former MLB players revealed their secrets when facing Rivera on the field, a day after the Yankees legend was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ex-Rangers third basemen Michael Young said whenever Rivera took the mound against them, he and teammates had a secret system to help tip off hitters at the plate — except it wouldn’t work.

“We’d have the guy in the on deck circle use the metal donut,” Young recalled on Twitter. “If Jorge [Posada] set up inside he’d knock the donut off hard, hitter would hear it and know it was cutter inside…ya, not very obvious. It worked. He’s get 3 outs on 12 pitches instead of 9. Congrats Mo!”

Former Yankees teammate Mark Teixeira confirmed Young’s confession when the two played together on the Rangers.

“It was a desperate action by hitters who knew we were toast. That’s why I signed with the [Yankees]…didn’t have to face Mo anymore!,” Teixeria joked.

Young had some of the better numbers against Rivera in his career. In 24 at-bats, Young had with eight hits and three RBIs, enough to have the second highest batting average for an opponent with at least 24 at-bats against Rivera.

The obviousness of Rivera’s cutter is exactly what freaked players out. Former Royals slugger Mike Sweeney once compared it to a horror movie in the sense you’re anticipating, but it still gets you. Former teammate Derek Jeter said the same in his essay on The Players Tribune.

“It was always the same thing on the mound,” Jeter wrote. “There wasn’t much mystery if you were facing Mariano Rivera. No smoke and mirrors — nothing to hide. The scouting report was the same every time. Mo knew he was going to throw that cutter. The guy at the plate knew he was going to throw that cutter. Fifty thousand plus at Yankee Stadium knew he was going to throw that cutter.”

Rivera became the first unanimous selection into the Hall of Fame. He celebrated at his home in White Plains with his family.