SAN DIEGO -- Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Monday the Pirates came to the Manchester Grand Hyatt "interested in learning about what teams are interested in." Two days into the Winter Meetings, it appears teams are interested in Adam Frazier.

Other clubs have expressed interest in Frazier, according to sources, and MLB Network insider Jon Heyman went so far as to say Frazier is the "most popular Pirate on the trade market," even more so than center fielder Starling Marte. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported the high volume of interest in Frazier.

There's no guarantee the Pirates will trade their starting second baseman, of course, but they must be open-minded as they look to add talent to their farm system this winter. Marte seems to be their highest-impact trade chip, with the Mets reportedly still in the mix, but the demand for Frazier is worth further exploration.

Why teams like Frazier Frazier offers an intriguing combination of offensive upside, defensive versatility, youth, experience and club control. The four-year veteran will turn 28 on Saturday, and he is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. He is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $3.2 million next season.

The knock on Frazier heading into last season was his defense, as he seemed capable but flawed at multiple positions. But he focused exclusively on second base, and the work paid off as he emerged as a Gold Glove Award finalist. According to the SABR Defensive Index, in fact, he was the third-best defensive second baseman in the National League and the fifth-best in baseball.

He didn't spend an inning anywhere other than second base this year, but he has previous Major League experience at shortstop, third base and all three outfield positions. Contending clubs desire that kind of positional flexibility.

This past season was not Frazier's best offensively, but he was a roughly league-average hitter with a 99 OPS+. The left-handed hitter batted .278/.336/.417 with 10 homers, 33 doubles and 50 RBIs in 152 games. He remained difficult to strike out, as his 12.3 percent strikeout rate was the 10th-best in the Majors among qualified hitters. He showed greater potential at the plate in 2018, slashing .277/.342/.456 with 10 homers and 23 doubles in 113 games.

Frazier also proved himself as an everyday player this year, staying healthy to lead the Pirates in games played (152) and finishing second in plate appearances (608).

Why he could be dealt For starters, the Pirates need to do whatever it takes to inject talent into their system. To expedite that process, they'll probably have to part with valuable Major League players. It's the same logic that could lead to them dealing someone like Marte or starter Chris Archer.

The Pirates also have depth in the infield behind Frazier. If the Pirates moved Frazier, they could experiment with a middle-infield duo of Kevin Newman and Cole Tucker - both first-round picks are natural shortstops who can play second - while still holding depth options in the form of Erik González, Kevin Kramer and Pablo Reyes. The free-agent market is still flooded with middle-infield options, too.

Frazier's versatility should lead to more interested teams, since he could be used in different ways: as an everyday second baseman, a regular at multiple positions or as a bench player.

Why he could stay Frazier's salary is reasonable, and he's under club control for three more years. He has a clear role here. Pittsburgh likes him for all the reasons other teams do. His versatility makes him valuable in the event of an injury anywhere on the field, and the Bucs could find another way to utilize their middle-infield depth.

As is the case with all deals, it depends on what's being offered. If clubs aren't willing to part with players who match the value the Pirates have assigned to Frazier, then it won't happen.

The number of free agents available could also impact the demand for Frazier, as interested clubs could seek an alternative while parting only with money instead of prospects.

Winter Meetings buzz
• Cherington repeatedly mentioned catching as the Pirates' biggest need at this stage of the offseason but said they would also like to add to their position player group as well, potentially using playing time "as an attraction for a free agent or to justify a trade."

Barring trades of Marte and/or Frazier, Pittsburgh is seemingly set in the outfield (Bryan Reynolds, Gregory Polanco and Marte) and at first base (Josh Bell), second base (Frazier) and shortstop (Newman). Third baseman Colin Moran had a solid season offensively, but that could be an area they seek to upgrade unless/until prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes is ready. It would also make sense for them to add an extra outfielder, particularly if Marte is dealt.

• Cherington said the Pirates' existing analytics staff made a "very strong" impression on him but acknowledged there may be room to expand the department. He also said there is "definitely opportunity for more integration into certain parts of the baseball operations, particularly coaching" to make better use of that information in the Majors and Minors.

"It's really just collaboration, just getting people to get working together," Cherington said.

• The Pirates agreed to sign right-hander Héctor Noesi to a Minor League contract, an industry source confirmed to MLB.com. The club did not confirm the deal, which was first reported by MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal on Tuesday.

Noesi could find his way into Pittsburgh's bullpen, but he was added to serve as rotation depth. Noesi, who will turn 33 in January, went 0-3 with an 8.46 ERA in 12 appearances (four starts) for the Marlins last season. He posted a 3.82 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 21 starts for Triple-A New Orleans.

• Left-hander Steven Brault stopped by the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Tuesday to talk about the Pirates' offseason and the Broadway-style album he's recording. The Pirates' last management group considered using the pitcher as a two-way player in 2020, but Brault said he is focused on pitching.

Cherington said the Pirates haven't yet explored the two-way player idea. However, the GM noted that Brault has the potential to be a "three-way" star given his talent off the field.

"Have you heard him sing?" Cherington said. "I saw him sing the other night. It was impressive."