Kansas City, Mo. ? For one day at least, the budget-conscious Kansas City Royals are ready to open their checkbook and spend money with the big boys.

Having the No. 2 overall pick in today’s baseball draft provides a rare opportunity to invigorate the team’s youth-based rebuilding program with a player of extraordinary ability. Unlike some years, the Royals insist that talent and not the ability to sign the player will be their guide.

“We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to find the best player and select him,” team president Dan Glass said.

“If we choose wisely, we’ll get an impact player, and we’re very excited about that. From what I understand, there are at least a half a dozen really quality guys out there who could really help us.”

Arizona picks first when the draft gets started at noon. Then the Royals take their turn. Making the right decision even more critical is the fact the Royals do not draft again until the 50th selection.

While Royals officials weren’t saying which of several prospects they had in mind, it is known they’re unlikely to come away with a pitcher.

“There are three guys that we’re discussing seriously,” scouting director Deric Ladnier said. “There are varying opinions on all three players. I wish I could say there’s a consensus.”

If Arizona goes for high school shortstop Justin Upton of Chesapeake, Va., a good possibility for the Royals is Nebraska third baseman Alex Gordon. He has a fluid left-handed swing and is projected to hit for power and average.

Cameron Maybin, a high school outfielder from Arden, N.C., and Arizona outfielder Trevor Crowe also have drawn plenty of attention from Kansas City scouts. So has John Drennen, a high school outfielder from San Diego.

In a new strategy this year, Ladnier had his regional supervisors cross-check their evaluation on players under strong consideration.

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“I had those guys focus more on the very (highly rated) guys as opposed to getting deep into the draft,” Ladnier said. “I then spent a lot of time seeing those players many times, not just two or three times. Everybody’s got a very strong opinion about players they’ve seen.”

The Royals never have picked this high, but they have a checkered history when it comes to making shrewd draft decisions.

For example, the Royals took 17 players in the 1999 draft, and not one was named Albert Pujols, a power-hitting infielder who had played both high school and college baseball practically in the shadow of Kauffman Stadium. By the time St. Louis snapped up Pujols, the Royals had acquired such prospects as Jay Gehrke, Brian Sanches, Enrique Bengochea, Mackeel Rodgers, James McAuley and Eric Nelson.

One reason the Royals may be en route to losing 100 games for the third time in four years is poor drafting.

From 1991 to 2001, their first-round picks have been outfielder Joe Vitiello, outfielder Michael Tucker, pitcher Jeff Granger, first baseman Matt Smith, outfielder Juan LeBron, outfielder Dee Brown and pitchers Dan Reichert, Jeff Austin, Kyle Snyder, Michael Stodolka and Colt Griffin.

There is not one All-Star among them. Several hardly had a cup of coffee in the big leagues.

Blow this year’s pick, and a shake-up could hit the scouting department.

“The position we’re picking, we’ve got to get the best player we can,” said Glass.

When Buddy Bell was introduced last week as the Royals’ manager, Glass made it clear he wanted the front office to start supplying greater talent.

“The flexibility is still there with the payroll, and if all of us get our act together in the front office and acquire those players who will help him toward winning better than we have, we’ll do that,” Glass said.