The Mets beat out at least a dozen other teams today that were bidding for the services of 25-year-old right hander Clint Everts, a former first-round pick (fifth overall) of the Expos in 2002 when Omar Minaya was Montreal’s GM.

Everts, who went to the same high school and was taken in the same draft as Scott Kazmir, was 8-1 with a 1.65 ERA in 44 combined relief appearances in the Nationals’ system last season ranging from High-A to AAA.