Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 190 pounds (86 kg), he batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

Poulsen played three years of varsity baseball at Birmingham High School in Los Angeles, where he helped his team win the championship of the West Valley League in 1963, 1964, and 1965, being named a first-team all-star in the league and third-team all-star on the All-City team.

[1] Poulsen made his major league debut on July 3, 1967, and appeared in five games with the Red Sox.

As a minor league hitter, he had a .233 average with 37 home runs and 153 RBIs, recorded in 497 games played during eight seasons.

[2] In July 2019, the Red Sox recognized Poulsen's contribution, albeit only during five games, to their 1967 pennant-winning season by presenting his family with a commemorative ring in a ceremony at Fenway Park.