New York ? Major-league teams looking to stock up on college pitching in this year’s draft could be in luck. Clubs searching for potential stars at other positions might not be so fortunate.

Many scouts consider this year’s draft, which starts today, one of the weakest in years when it comes to trying to find impact position players.

“Fortunately for us, this year the strength of the draft is pitching, and that’s what we need,” Kansas City Royals scouting director Deric Ladnier said. “But we also need position players. In the last few years, there were better position players.”

It appears likely the draft record of 20 pitchers taken in the first round – set in 1999 and tied in 2001 – will fall. The Royals, who have the No. 1 pick for the first time, are focused on a trio of college pitchers: North Carolina left-hander Andrew Miller and right-handers Tim Lincecum of Washington and Brad Lincoln of Houston.

Even with the top pick, Kansas City wasn’t assured of getting a future Cy Young winner. The Royals felt more confident before last season’s draft, when they took Nebraska third baseman Alex Gordon with the No. 2 pick after Arizona took high school shortstop Justin Upton.

“Last year, we were picking No. 2 and we knew Upton and Gordon were there and that whoever got picked first, we would be getting a guy we knew was a good player with a chance to be a star,” said Ladnier, who’ll help run the Royals’ draft after the team fired general manager Allard Baird last week. “This year, I can’t say that. We’ll get a quality starter, but there are some reservations.”

With the No. 1 overall pick in today's major-league baseball amateur draft, the Kansas City Royals could tap Houston's Brad Lincoln, pictured here, Washington's Tim Lincecum, or North Carolina's Andrew Miller, both pictured below.

Miller, a 6-foot-7 junior, has a fastball in the mid-90s and a sharp slider in the mid-80s, but his command and ability to maintain his stuff late in games are still questioned.

The major question surrounding Lincecum and Lincoln is whether their size – they’re both 6-foot – will allow them to become front-line major-league starters. Otherwise, they both have fastballs in the mid-90s and pile up strikeouts in bunches.

Others expected to be selected early include five right-handers: Stanford’s Greg Reynolds, Nebraska’s Joba Chamberlain, Missouri’s Max Scherzer, California’s Brandon Morrow and Texas’ Kyle McCulloch. Texas high school lefty Clayton Kershaw is also likely to go in the first 10 picks.

“It will probably be a year where there will be more pitchers taken in the first round than ever before,” said Angels scouting director Eddie Bane, a first-round pick in 1973. “If you’re looking for a shortstop, if you’re one of those teams who narrow your search to a certain position, you’re not getting a shortstop.”

Colorado has the No. 2 pick, followed by Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Seattle to round out the top five.

Washington's Tim Lincecum

“Every year, I hear how bad it is,” Mariners scouting director Bob Fontaine said. “You know, it doesn’t matter if it is good or bad – as long as you get the best of what’s there. I believe we can get what we need.”

Despite the lack of standout position players, teams won’t have to be desperate to take Long Beach State infielder Evan Longoria. The MVP of the Cape Cod League last year, who isn’t related to the “Desperate Housewives” star, has a smooth swing and power to all fields.

Kyle Drabek, the son of former Cy Young Award winner Doug Drabek, has a mid- to upper-90s fastball also plays shortstop, and may be as good a hitter and fielder as he is a pitcher. Off-field issues have dogged the right-hander all season – otherwise, he might be a possible top-five pick.

Back in the draft is former Tennessee right-hander Luke Hochevar, who was projected as a possible No. 1 pick last year but dropped to 40th amid signability concerns – Scott Boras is his agent – and didn’t sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s been pitching with the independent Fort Worth Cats, and shown flashes of the stuff that made him such a hot commodity.

North Carolina's Andrew Miller

“I don’t think the draft is as weak as some people want to say it is – it’s just different,” Devil Rays scouting director R.J. Harrison said. “I think we got spoiled last year because that was the best collection of position players I’ve seen in 10 years.”

A few familiar names who could be drafted in later rounds are New York high school left-hander Danny Almonte and Wesleyan University infielder Jeff Maier.

Almonte, now at the Bronx’s James Monroe High School, had his perfect game in the Little League World Series five years ago erased because he was two years older than league rules allowed.

Maier made headlines when he reached over the right-field wall at Yankee Stadium in the 1996 AL championship series and caught what was ruled a home run by Derek Jeter, helping New York beat Baltimore.

The draft lasts 50 rounds and is conducted through Wednesday by conference call, with each first-round selection announced live on MLB.com.