Dave Bush will get another opportunity to pitch for his hometown team.

Bush, a 1998 graduate of Conestoga High, was among three players the Phillies signed to a minor league contract with invitations to major league camp Friday. The 32-year-old Bush first joined the Phillies system in August after being released from the Chicago Cubs organization.


Bush, who had a 5.79 ERA in 17 games with the Texas Rangers at the beginning of the 2011 season, finished the year at the Phillies Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley. Bush went 1-2 with a 3.91 ERA in four starts with the IronPigs.

A veteran of eight major league seasons, Bush has career major league record of 56-69 with a 4.70 ERA in 210 games (187 starts) for Toronto (2004-05), the Milwaukee Brewers (2006-10) and Texas. In 2008, Bush held the Phillies to one run in 5 1/3 innings to earn the victory for Milwaukee in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.

Bush was selected in the second round of the 2002 draft by Toronto, where he was converted from a relief pitcher to a starter. A catcher in high school, Bush became a closer at Wake Forest University.

In addition to Bush, the Phillies also signed catcher Steven Lerud and left-handed pitcher David Purcey to minor league contracts with invitations to big league camp at spring training in Clearwater.